My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate
by thebestIcan
Summary: This can’t be! This girl is dead! She died in my arms! This girl is dead! But..." Edward's attempt to regain his and Al's bodies lands him in an unexpected place. Sequel to My Misadventures in Alchemy. T for violence and language.
1. Prologue

It started with a girl.

A girl who was ripped from her world and dropped into mine. On my dorm room doorstep. That's how we found her, scared, lost and alone. Brought here for reasons we couldn't fathom until much later. She woke and looked up at me, horrified when she realized she didn't know me. I thought she had come from another part of Amestris. I thought she had come through the Gate, and I was so excited.

But that idea was crushed. She wasn't from inside the Gate. She was from 'Vancouver, Canada.' Where ever the hell that is. I still don't know. It didn't matter, because she couldn't help Al and I get our bodies back and I hated that she couldn't. I was stuck with the responsibility of getting her home.

All we did was fight with each other for weeks. She was angry that she was stuck with me, and vice versa. I hated how she couldn't do one simple transmutation, and she couldn't understand why I had no idea what she was talking about. Spanish, is that the other language she spoke? French Revolution, World Wars I and II, Dominion Lands Act… What were they? Can't she get her mind out of her damned world and into ours!?

No.

I realize this as she finds me in the back of the library after one of our many fights and calls a truce. It is the first time that I realize how out of place she must be. It annoys me a little further, but I stick to our arrangement and I do my best to work with her rather than against her.

Somehow word got to Envy about our guest. He took her. I didn't know how I truly felt about her until he did that. I remember the rage that boiled through me when I found her cell phone lying on the floor of the train station. I remember how I wanted to make Envy suffer for taking her.

I remember I wanted to get her back, protect her. So I did.

I found out she was sick and I was scared she would die. I spent two days by her hospital bed, not wanting to leave. I was so angry. Because of what Envy had done, because she hadn't told Al and I that she was sick, because there was nothing I could do but wait until she woke up. I screamed at her when she finally did. And then I held her.

I vowed to keep her safe from then own. We travelled from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what we could do to keep her alive. We couldn't find anyone who could help her and we couldn't find a way to get her home. In a moment of weakness she cried on my shoulder.

And all that I hadn't known I felt came out and I kissed her.

I told her that I wanted her and much to my delight, she wanted me too. But she couldn't have me because she couldn't stay. She had to go home. No amount of kissing, begging and pleading would convince her otherwise. She had to return to her family, her world.

We found the circle that would take her there, the most surprising circle. One last tussle with Envy found us in the restricted section of Central's library, drawing out a rushed array with Al fending off that homunculus pain in the ass. And we were by ourselves. I kissed her goodbye, clapped and put my hands to the circle.

The transmutation failed.

She died in my arms.

Two months and I still can't get her out of my head.


	2. Chapter 1: For the Living and the Dead

Hi everybody. Okay, as you can tell, this is a sequel to _My Misadventures in Alchemy_. I originally was going to leave it as is, but it was requested that I make a sequel, and then the little hamster running my brain got to spinning that wheel. Unless you have read the prequel to this, you may be a little confused. I'll try to keep the stories seperate, but I don't know how well that will work. I've decided to make this in Ed's point of view. You'll find out why soon enough.

Disclaimer: Don't own FMA... yet. Ownership or bust!

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My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 1: For the Living and the Dead

"This could work."

I looked over the scribbles scrawled across the page in my notebook. Yes. Tweak this, add a slight adjustment there… It would be dangerous, no doubt, but wasn't everything Al and I had tried so far dangerous? What was a little more? Just another adventure to document in the little black book I kept in my coat pocket. It could work.

Or it could be a complete and utter failure. Whichever.

Al gazed over my shoulder at the sketch of the circle I had made. I bet if he could actually show what was going through his mind on that tin can helmet of his, his eyes would be wide and he'd be in shock.

"Not that one again!"

It was a circle very similar to the one drawn in blood on the inside of his armor. Just slightly different. A circle that had been coming up quite often as of late. I nodded and stared at the image.

"Remember what happened the last time we used it?"

How could I forget? I had spent all night last night remembering. I closed my eyes, rubbing my eyes. No sleep the night before was starting to take its toll on me and I leaned my head in my hands a moment to collect my thoughts. I looked up at the sleeve of my coat, staring at the chunk of cloth missing from it. I would even like to be back in that instance if it meant being back with her.

I am taken to fiery red locks and emerald eyes. I can't get her out of my head. I wish I could have held her a little longer. I wish I knew her body had made it back to her mother and brother Seth. I wish she didn't have to die.

But it's no good to wish such things. I should have learned after Mom.

"Brother?"

I shake myself from my thoughts and look up at Al. I give him a small smile and grab a pen, pulling the notebook back over to myself. I know he is worried, it's my fault for that.

"Nothing Al, just tired is all."

I finish the circle, altering it as the calculations say I should. By the end of it, it looked much like Al's blood seal, only slightly different. Why did this circle have to be the one to bring our bodies back? Maybe. I'm not willing to get my hopes up yet.

"Done."

I hold out the completed array. Al looks up and takes the notebook in his baseball mitt sized hand. He looks down at it, then to me, nodding and standing. I do the same and we walk to the center of my dorm room. We clear the furniture out of the way, take out a piece of chalk each and begin to draw out the circle. I know we could probably do the transmutation without drawing the circle, but we don't want to chance it. We're risking enough as it is.

The last mark of the circle was drawn into place. Al and I stand there a moment, silent and I know we are both preparing ourselves. For another letdown or a long awaited success, either way. I try to calm my breathing, my heart pounding in my ears. I clear my throat and step into the center.

"I'll go first, Al. This way if something goes wrong-"

"But Brother-"

"No 'buts'."

We've already chanced far too much. I can't let my brother bear the brunt of anymore of my mistakes. If something goes wrong in this, it will be my skin, not his. I swallow hard and look up at him, nodding once. He kneels down, clanking as he does so, claps his hands and presses them to the circle.

Immediately I feel the electric spark of the transmutation. It spreads from my feet along my legs up into the rest of my body, spreading across every inch of skin and metal. I see the usual flashes of blue sparks erupting from the circle and wind kicks up from nowhere. I'm not too worried about this. It seems normal for a transmutation so far. It may just have worked! I look up at Al, smiling as I watch him waving at me-

Wait, waving?

I make to shout at him, ask him why he's taken his hands off the circle when I discover that while I'm moving my lips, forcing air out of my lungs I cannot speak. And if I am speaking, I can't hear it. This is not good!

I can no longer feel the electric spark of the transmutation and I am shocked to realize that my whole body has gone numb. I can't feel the cold of the dorms, the heavy pull of automail on the rest of my body… Something has gone horribly wrong!

I look up at Al, trying to signal him to get back, to get out. I watch as he stands, but rather than head for the door, he steps forward. Before I can stop him, the world goes dark and I throw my arms out as I lose my balance, falling fast towards the ground head first.

I flail, attempting to catch something, anything to keep me rooted in that one spot. I should have known it was useless and I wonder if I am actually screaming because I am trying to. All I see and feel is black and numbness until my senses are suddenly returned to me as I land roughly on something hard.

"Ouch!"

That something hard was a floor. I wonder if I've broken any bones and once I have concluded that they all are intact, at least for the most part, I lift my head and open my eyes.

This is not my dorm room.

This must be how she felt. I push myself off the floor until I am kneeling and I stare at my surroundings with wide eyes and my mouth agape. I was in someone's bedroom. I found that out by the bed with navy blue blankets that was merely a few inches to the right from where I had landed in a heap. I scowl and look up at the ceiling, speaking more to the Gate than anything.

"You couldn't have aimed a foot to the right, could you?"

I grumble and continue to look around. In the corner of the room, there was a dresser and a desk, both covered in intricate looking objects, including one that looked like a complex radio and another a screen with a large box beside it. Over the dresser is a mirror and I am not surprised to see myself with a scraped chin and a stunned expression. Moving on. There was a bookshelf beside the door, overflowing with books and small trinkets. I judge from these that it is a girl's room. Great.

The soft yellow walls are covered in posters of what I can only guess are bands and various famous people. I frown because I know none of them and I shake my head, deciding to worry about that later. The window is letting in a breeze and I take a small bit of comfort in knowing that where ever I am, it is at least still summer.

Something catches my eye. On the small night table by the bed, is a picture in a frame. One of a boy with blond hair and blue eyes, arms wrapped around a girl. A girl who was maybe a little shorter than I was, with flaming red hair and emeralds for eyes. She is smiling and hugging the boy back. I swallow hard, heart racing.

I now know whose room it is.

I hear footsteps outside the door and I throw myself back onto the floor out of instinct more than anything. The door opens and I hear someone enter, half whispering half singing a song that I have never heard before. I peak over the edge of the bed and watch as the girl in the picture walks over to the dresser, grabbing a small disc like one I'd seen once before and puts it into the complex radio, the song she had been singing beginning to play.

This can't be! This girl is dead! She died in my arms! This girl is dead!

But she turns and pulls her hair from where it had been held in a ponytail and shakes it out. I remembered what it felt like between my fingers and I straighten a little more as I watch her, biting my lip. She doesn't seem to notice me, however, and I hold my breath as she opens the dresser, pulling out a shirt. She tosses it on the bed without looking over and begins to lift the one she is wearing-

Woah! Okay, enough hiding!

I stand up and immediately she notices me in the mirror. She gives a shout and turns on the spot, staring at me wide eyes and clutching her chest in shock. I stare at her in much with much the same expression and shake my head in disbelief.

This girl is dead! I remember the day she died pristinely because it has haunted me for the past two months! This girl doesn't have a heartbeat! This girl is dead!

We continue to stare at each other and she takes a step forward. I watch as expressions of joy, confusion, sadness, hope and longing flash across her eyes. I know because I am feeling the same things. Her eyes scan me, then meet mine and I can only give a smile as she whispers.

"Edward…"

I don't know how, but Winnifred Radcliff was most certainly not dead.

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So Ed is in her world, and Freddy isn't dead. YAY! Next chapter wont be up until maybe Tuesday, I have a term paper to write. Argh. Toodles!


	3. Chapter 2: Sibling Rivalry

Okay guys, sorry I didn't get this up yesterday like I said. I ended up staying at my sister's place and she's in the process of moving, so computers are non existant at her place. Anywho, here it is.

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My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 2: Sibling Rivalry

"Edward…"

That voice is one that I have missed dearly, and one I have only heard in my dreams for the last two months until I wake and harsh reality sets in. Is that what this is? A bad dream in which I meet Winnifred only to be ripped from her when morning comes? It's not real, is it? I walk closer to her, slow as if she were a deer that I didn't want to scare away. I almost can't believe this is real. I don't want this to be a dream, but if it is, I want to savor it!

A few feet's distance between us, I can see the highs and lows of her hair, the slender form of her body, the way she has to tilt her head slightly upward to meet my gaze with those oh so beautiful eyes…

"Freddy?"

She nods slowly and I continue a little further towards her. Now I am a hand's distance from her and I watch as she meets my gaze, perfect lips parted slightly in disbelief that I am here. I meet that gaze and raise my left hand, reaching out to press flesh fingertips to her forehead and lightly brushing her hair from her eyes. She is warm and soft and I gasp as I realize that she won't fade away like my dreams.

"Freddy!"

"Edward!"

I am no longer cautious and we rush towards each other, catching each other in our arms and holding the other close. Her arms are around my neck and I lean down to plant light kisses all over her face, whispering her name between them, my own arms tight around her waist. She chases and catches my lips, and we kiss deep and long, like we're trying to pick up something we'd left off.

She is real!

And she is crying.

I pull from the kiss and wipe away the tears that are making their way down her cheeks. I don't know why she is crying. Hell, I don't even know how she is still alive! But I am happy, oh so happy that she is. My hands shake as they cup her face and I speak against the growing lump in my throat.

"I thought you died. I kept trying to-"

"I know you were-"

"But your heart wouldn't-"

"I made it home-"

"I'm just so glad you're alive!"

At this she nods and smiles up at me. All I can think to do is hold her and keep her from drifting away. My arms snake around her waist and I hold her, forehead leaned against hers. We stay like that for several moments, lips finding each other's in a slow kiss, when the crashing sound of a door hitting a wall brought us back to reality, a boy's voice loud.

"Freddy, I need to- Hey!"

I immediately let go of Freddy when I heard this and stepped back to see the boy in the picture standing in the doorway. Seth, Freddy's twelve year-old brother. His blond hair came to his chin, he was maybe a foot shorter than I was and he looked like he had yet to start the "joys" of male puberty.

Lucky bastard.

Steely-blue eyes glared into mine and I found myself glaring back. Freddy watches us as we silently dare each other to make a move. At last, Seth opens his mouth and takes a deep breath, a shout on his lips.

"Mom! Freddy has a boy in her-"

Freddy and I both dash at him, but she makes it first, jumping over her bed and clapping her hand over his mouth. His eyes bug out and he attempts to pull her hand away to continue his tattle, but Freddy holds tight. I hear an older female voice call from down the hall and my eyes widen in fear.

"Freddy has a what in her room?"

My mouth hangs open as I watch Freddy turn to the open door, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment and anger, her hand still on Seth's mouth.

"Nothing Mom, he thought I had one of his toys in here!"

At this, there was silence down the hall. Freddy and I both drew in a breath of relief and she leans down to whisper to Seth, who is still staring at me with a glare.

"You're not going to tell Mom about him, because I can tell her about that fist fight you and Danny Alto had last week!"

I quirked an eyebrow, watching her give her brother a stern look. Seth grinned and when Freddy took her hand away, he simply tilted his head to the side, a triumphant look about his features.

"She already knows about that, so you have nothing on me! But I could be persuaded to keep my mouth shut about your lip lock sessions…"

Freddy sighed and dug around in her jeans for a moment before producing a small, crisp purple paper and handing it over to Seth whose hand was outstretched. Dirty little blackmailer! He smiled and shook her hand before slipping the paper into his shorts pocket, watching as Freddy walked over and stood beside me. His eyes scanned me and I clenched my jaw as they narrowed at my clothes.

"Your boyfriend looks like he just hopped out of a sci-fi movie. What's his name? 'Skywalker?'"

That little snot, I aught to- Wait, 'boyfriend?' My eyes widened and I looked over at Freddy, who was blushing furiously, biting her lip. I turned back to Seth and stuttered my way through an attempt at explaining, watching his grin widen.

"I'm not Freddy's, that is, we kiss, but I'm not, I don't think, unless she'd have me, but I'm-"

"Edward. His name is Edward. And it's none of your business what we do!"

Thank you, Freddy! She stepped forward, turning her brother around and leading him towards the door. A moment later, Seth was shoved out of the room and the door was slammed behind him. Freddy sighed and turned, leaning against the door. I grin and walk over, pushing her hair back and looking to her eyes. I sigh and nudge her nose with mine, grin widening as I speak.

"I think I prefer Al."

Freddy giggled as she wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I think I do too!"

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Okay, so there was a lot of mushiness. Come on, they were in love and Ed thought he had killed her! Anywho, the next chapter will have more action.


	4. Chapter 3: Your World and Mine

Sorry I didn't get this up earlier. I couldn't figure out what to put in next. So here's what I came up with. Things will liven up a little more, I promise.

Still don't own anything.

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My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 3: The Difference Between Your World and Mine

Getting out of Freddy's house without her mother seeing me was an adventure and a half!

It involved her roof, a lattice and sneaking around the front porch with ninja like stealth. I almost don't want to know how she perfected the technique, but I had to hand it to her. She was surprisingly agile. After only a matter of moments, we were walking down the quiet street to somewhere only she knew.

"How's Al?"

I wonder that myself. Did something happen to him in the middle of the transmutation? Was he taken somewhere too? If so, where? I had a feeling we wouldn't be so lucky as to land in the same place. Did the Gate take back his soul?

The thought made me shiver and I shook my head. No! Al was okay. Al had to be okay.

"He was fine before I ended up here. I don't know how he's doing now."

Freddy gave me a kind of look I couldn't read and I stared down at the ground, watching our feet as we walked. I felt awkward, tying to figure out what to say next. I glanced up at the redhead beside me. There were so many questions I wanted to ask her. I wanted to know how she got here, how she survived. I still thought that any moment I would wake up, fearful and back in Central in the middle of the night. It was hot and I undid the clasp to my jacket, glancing up at the sun through the trees.

"How is it still so hot here? It's almost November in Amestris."

Freddy bit her lip and looked up at me. She wrinkled her brow a moment, then shrugged.

"Apparently time doesn't always flow at the same rate between our worlds. Or something like that. I mean, I was in your world a whole four months, but when I got back here, I discovered only a split second had gone by! And now it's been two months since then. It's almost mid July."

That didn't make any sense. How can time speed up and slow down like that? It just didn't make sense! I counted on my fingers.

"You left right before September, so it's been two months in Amestris as well."

Freddy quirked an eyebrow and I shrugged. A few boys walked by us and I glared at them as they chuckled at my clothes and long hair. I heard them mutter something about 'girls and cosplay' after we had turned the corner into an empty park, and I crossed my arms. I felt Freddy's fingers brush against the sleeve of my coat and I glanced up at her.

"We'll have to get you some new clothes."

Not her too!

"What's wrong with these? You never had a problem with them before!"

"You weren't staying in my world before!"

She gave me a smile and I huffed, tapping my fingers on my arm as we kept going. Her clothes weren't very different from any other girl's when she arrived in Amestris, all though I've never heard of 'The Beatles' before. I looked over at her, watching her walk beside me, eyes closed and a small smile on her lips.

Seeing her safe and sound, I realized how much I had missed her. Her sarcastic comments, her contagious laughter, her hugs. I even missed trying to explain alchemy to her. But, I think I know what she was trying to say by needing to go home. That thought about Al being gone nagged me and I shook my head. I sigh and stretch my arms above my head.

"I won't be staying for long, I've got to go home and see if Al's okay!"

"Good luck with that!"

I drop my arms and turn to her, stopping in my tracks. She opens her eyes and faces me, smile disappearing. At the tilt of my head, she sighed and began to fidget, looking down at the ground and speaking in a small voice.

"When I came back to this side, I tried to send you some sort of message that I was okay. I know you were upset, I saw you crying before I left…"

I blushed furiously at this. Of course I had cried! I thought she was dying! I thought she was dying and there was nothing I could do! I had hoped that she made it back to her family. Although I never got a message. Not a whisper that she was okay. I blinked as she continued, her voice growing softer.

"I tried sending letters, but I could never get the circle to activate. I knew that alchemy had died out long ago in this world, but I didn't think …"

Oh no! She wasn't telling me… My eyes widened and I shook my head slowly, taking a step back. She continued so softly I could barely hear her.

"It doesn't work here, Ed. Alchemy doesn't work here, not without help from your world."

I couldn't believe it. No! Alchemy has to work! She looked up at me shyly, her cheeks flushed. I knit my brow and turned from her, walking briskly on, scanning the ground. I heard her chase after me, listening to what she said but not really paying attention.

"Ed! It doesn't work! I've tried everything I could think of! I drew that circle over and over and it wouldn't work! Edward, please!"

"Alchemy does work, Freddy!"

She chased me down the park path and at last I saw what I was looking for. I swooped down, grabbing a small stone from the side of the path and I placed it back on the side walk. I kneeled down beside it and thought a moment. Just get the stone from here to Amestris. I rifled through my coat pocket and pulled out the piece of chalk I had used to help draw the circle that had landed me in this mess. I would definitely not try that one again. Instead, I used one a little more recognizable. I drew out Al's blood seal, glancing up at Freddy. I had to show her!

Alchemy works everywhere! It had worked to bring her to my world, it would work again!

"Ed!"

Freddy kneeled down next to me, grabbing my arm. I didn't pay attention, but rather clapped my hands and pressed them to the pavement. Nothing, the stone just lay there untouched. There wasn't even any evidence that a transmutation had even been tried! Okay, not a problem! Just try again, maybe I wasn't concentrating hard enough. Clap! Nothing. Clap! Nothing.

"What… ?"

Clap, clap, clap, clap-

"Ed, stop! It doesn't work!"

I felt arms wrap around my chest and waist and before I could throw them off, Freddy was dragging me away from my failed attempts. No! I had to prove it would work! I had to make it work! I tried to wiggle my way out of her hold, but I didn't want to hurt her and she was holding on tight. With one last tug, I lost my balance and we ended up falling back onto the grass in a tangled heap.

"Ed!"

"Freddy, I gotta try!"

"No, stop!"

I tried to make my way back to the path where the circle was drawn, clapping my hands, but Freddy grabbed me again. We ended up wrestling each other, flipping over and over in the grass. In one swift move, I ended up on my back, Freddy over me, sitting on my stomach and pinning my arms by my wrists. She glared down at me, her hair all over the place from our little wrestling match, emerald eyes sparkling and chest heaving for breath.

"Alchemy doesn't work in this world, Edward!"

I had to admit defeat. I just couldn't deny that anymore, I had seen the proof. My eyes were wide and I couldn't speak. I just kept staring up at Freddy, watching as her glare softened into a sad expression. She lessened her hold on my wrists, sliding her right hand up to squeeze my left.

"I'm sorry. It just won't work."

She crawled off of me, leaving my laying there on my back, staring up at the sky. How am I supposed to get home if I can't transmute? Nobody but Al knows I'm gone! What if something happened to him? Am I stuck here? I slowly sat up, leaning on my elbows and looking over to Freddy, who stared back at me with a look of concern. I swallowed hard and asked the one question that I feared couldn't be answered.

"How am I supposed to get back to Al?"

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Uh oh! How's Ed gonna get back home!? I could just picture Ed and Freddy rolling around in the grass wrestling like a couple of five year-olds! LOL! Anywho...


	5. Chapter 4: Connections, Clothes and Niki

Guys, I am so sorry that it took so long for this to come out. I had so many ideas on how to keep the story going, I couldn't figure out which to run with. So I chose this one. This chapter is sort of oddball, but it has a lot of little clues as to what is going to happen, so bear with me. Not my best, again, bear with me.

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My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 4: Connections, Clothes and Niki

Have you ever had such a shock that you end up numb? You know, say you've just found out someone close to you is gone. Your girlfriend left you or your Grampa died. Your brother… possibly. You know the cold tingly feeling that washes over you as though you've just been dumped into a bath of ice? You know the gaping emptiness inside you that takes over until you can't think? You just sit there, staring into space, not making a noise or a movement, just staring mindlessly…

That's what I had been doing when Freddy touched my left arm, bringing me back to reality.

"Ed? Hey, are you in there?"

I blinked, my eyes stinging from being open for so long and I looked around me. We were still in the park, but it was twilight now and the streetlights were starting to flicker on down the street. We must have been sitting here for hours. I looked back up at Freddy, my voice like a croak from disuse.

"Freddy."

She was staring at me with concerned eyes, with pitying eyes. I knew it was because she had been in this very position two months ago. Still, I hated it. She bit her lip and rubbed her hand along my arm.

"Jeez, you're freezing!"

Was I? I turned away from her, quite content to go back into my numb, thoughtless state. She wouldn't have it, however, and I felt her lift my arm and drape it around shoulders, wrapping her own around my waist. Before I knew it, I had been hoisted up and was standing. I turned back to look at her, but her face was covered by her hair. Her voice was sad when she continued.

"Come on, we gotta go. We'll stop by Niki's and get you some clothes. You look like you just popped out of a cartoon."

I didn't like the way she said that, much more serious than her usual sarcastic remarks, but I was too tired to care. We started making our way towards the street, in the same basic direction of her house, but not quite. What the hell was Niki's? I instead focused on the task of getting home.

Alchemy doesn't work in Freddy's world. At least not without help from my world. What does that mean? Was it like when Freddy ended up in Central? A circle was drawn on both sides of the Gate then, although she didn't exactly end up in the planned destination. Envy had admitted everything the night she left, the night she…

No, don't go down that road. She was alive, she was right here next to me. Real, with her arm around me.

So, a circle needs to be drawn on both sides of the Gate in order for someone to cross, because the two worlds need to be connected. That's how Freddy got to my world and how I got here. If that was so, where was the circle that got me here drawn?

A bell rang and I snapped awake, looking around to see we had entered a shabby little whole-in-the-wall shop. It was dark, the windows covered with thick black curtains and the lamps barely illuminating the things inside. I realized from the shape of it that it was in fact a house that had been converted into a business. There were numerous posters on the dark wood walls and I recognised several of them from inside Freddy's room. There was a glass case shoved against the far wall, filled with belts, bracelets, knives and a few very illegal looking instruments. There were racks and racks of shirts, pants and jackets, and the wall to the left had milk crates filled with what I'd come to know as CDs. It was the most make-shift store I had ever seen: I liked it.

"Niki!"

I jumped as Freddy shouted and stepped forward from her place beside me, walking towards a doorway that had thick black curtains like the windows, which parted to reveal the man named "Niki," which made my jaw drop.

Scar.

Well, sort of, but not quite. For one thing, he was missing the giant X across his forehead. His hair wasn't grey, but a dark brown, cut in the same fashion. He was just as tall, his muscles not well hidden under jeans and a white muscle top. The trademark Scar scowl disappeared when his eyes set on Freddy and his face split into a smile. It kind of weirded me out.

"Freddy, what's up? How's that Breaking Benjamin CD treating you?"

"Magnificent! My mom threatened to take away my CD player if I played 'Blow Me Away' again!"

He boomed a laugh. Yep, he may look like Scar, but this was definitely not the same person. He nodded, then turned to me. His eyes scanned me up and down, quirking an eyebrow at my clothes. I was starting to get tired of people doing that. But when his eyes connected with mine, I felt a chill run down my spine. His scowl returned tenfold with a sense of hatred and I felt as thought I was looking at the true Scar, my Scar. He heaved a sigh, scowl disappearing as he looked back over to Freddy, who was digging around in her back pocket for her wallet, oblivious.

"Who's your friend? He looks a little out of place!"

"Actually, that's what we've come here to remedy, how much will this cover?"

She handed him a fist full of cash and gave him a small smile. He quickly counted it and nodded.

"Two jeans, five T-shirts, a hoodie and a set of Converse."

Freddy turned to me, smiling and gave me a light push on the shoulder.

"You heard the man, go pick some stuff out."

I didn't need telling twice, watching as the scowl returned to "Niki's" face over Freddy's shoulder. I didn't like it. I felt as if he knew exactly who I was, like we were back in Amestris and it was Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist against Scar, State Alchemist Hunter. I quickly avoided his gaze, grabbing whatever jeans and shirts I could get my hands on, not caring what they looked like or if they were even my size. I rushed into the little closet that served as a change room and began pulling the clothes on, listening to the hushed conversation outside.

"Freddy, who is this kid?"

I stopped, halfway buttoning my new jeans, ears prickling. Yeash, I could hear the disgust from here.

"He's a friend of mine, Niki! A real nice guy."

"I don't like him…"

Well, that was obvious! I slowed down my movements, smoothing out invisible wrinkles in my T-shirt as something to delay going out there. This man had never met me before, at least not in this world. So why on earth the hostility? I listened, hoping to get an answer.

"What?! Why?"

"I feel like I've met him before, but I'm not sure where! I just don't like him. I'm getting this vibe from him…"

So he did recognize me. Interesting. I heard Freddy sigh and her next words sent a warm wave of gratitude through my body.

"Niki, don't worry about it! He's a sweetheart, he's helped me out of some real tough times!"

Boy, if that wasn't the truth! I quickly finished dressing, tying the shoes and pulling on the hoodie to hide my automail. I stuffed I grabbed my old clothes and the remaining new ones in my left arm and made sure to stuff my right hand into my pocket before walking out. Both turned to me, Niki glaring at me and Freddy beaming as she looked me up and down.

"Very nice, you look good!"

I kept my eyes locked on Niki as I muttered a thank-you. Freddy seemed to sense something was up and took my clothes, putting them in a bag, taking her change. We were about to walk out when Niki called.

"Hey kid, what you say your name was again?"

"I didn't. It's Edward …"

I stopped. I didn't want to give him my real name, not with the way he had reacted when he first saw me. I glanced around quickly for some sort of cover. Right behind him was a poster with a group, the words 'The Ramones' scrawled across the middle.

"Ramone. Edward Ramone."

He knew I was lying, but I didn't care. I gave a slight nod, then turned to Freddy, who was giving me a stunned, curious look. I mouthed for her to be quiet, grabbing her hand and leading her out of the shop to a less hostile environment.

It seemed our worlds were more connected than I'd thought.

* * *

Again, odd. Any guesses as to who else Ed will meet here?


	6. Chapter 5: House Rules

Sorry it took a while to get up. I had major writer's block. I have an idea of how they will flow now, so it shouldn't be too spaced out. Thanks!

* * *

My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 5: House Rules

We were walking in basically the same direction as we had come, I think, and I let my feet guide me without actually looking around me. My mind drifted between the many questions that had started to accumulate when I arrived.

Why did the transmutation not work? Why did I get sent here of all places? How will I transmute to get myself home? How's Al? Why is a man who looks like Scar here?

"Dirty rat bastard!"

I snarled at the thought of that man and I shook my head. No, getting angry wouldn't help me now. That's what the Colonel would say. The thought of that crooked smirk and those narrowed onyx eyes looking down that nose at me made my jaw clench and my fists curl.

"As much as I love holding hands with you, can you not go all Terminator on my phalanges please?"

I blinked and stopped, turning to look at Freddy as she pulled away from me. I frowned as the words slowly sank themselves in and I looked down at her hand. The fingertips were blue and the back of her hand was red and marked with lines from my automail.

"I- Sorry."

I took her hand and rubbed it with my own, trying to coax the blood back into it. Blood. Blood seal. Transmutation. Back to start. I sigh and shake my head, knowing very well that Freddy is watching me and judging my actions. She's trying to read my mind. Finally, when her hand has turned back to a normal color, I drop it and we continue on our way in silence for a few minutes.

"What's going on in that head of yours, Edward Elric?"

I glance up at her. Should I mention the doppelganger? Did she notice any look-a-likes when she came to Amestris? Is it of any real importance? I bite my lip and look back down at my feet as we walk.

"When you came to Amestris did you ever see anyone who… you know… looked like someone from your world?"

"Winry."

Her sudden and matter-of-fact answer catches me by surprise and I look back up at her, brow knitted. She doesn't glance back at me and I look ahead of us to see her house is close. She continues after a moment of my silence.

"I didn't catch it until I got back home, but my friend Terry looks like Winry."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Only with gothic black hair and a tongue ring."

This makes me stop in my tracks. I do my best to envision my best friend since childhood with black hair and a chunk of metal through her tongue, and when I finally succeed I shiver. Gah, that was wrong!

I start walking again, shoving my hands into my pockets as I catch up. Freddy looks over at me when I join her on the front porch of her house and she speaks in half interested, half something-I-can't-name way as she pulls out her keys, picking out the proper one.

"She's nothing like Winry. Well, mostly. She does get a little stir crazy over boys. The people look the same, but their personalities are completely different. Like this other guy I met-"

She falls short when she turns to me and I notice something painful in her eyes. She's hiding something, I can tell by the way she contemplates whether to tell me or not. She eventually swallows hard and shakes her head.

"It's nothing. Never mind the doppelgangers, you get used to them."

She steps forward, unlocking the door and I follow her inside.

I was not prepared for what happened next.

"Winnifred Eleanor Radcliff, where the hell have you been!?"

The shout is so loud I close my eyes and cover my ears, the floor vibrating beneath my feet as someone stomps their way towards us. The feeling stops and I know that the person is right in front of us, glaring down at their daughter. Freddy's answer is muffled from my hands over my ears.

"I was at Niki's."

"At ten thirty at night?"

"It was an emergency of sorts!"

"Next time take your phone and leave a note."

"Sorry, Mom."

"Teenagers, I swear!"

The shouting finally stops and I gingerly let my hands drop from their position protecting my eardrums. Not that at it did much good so close to the source of noise. When the ringing stops, I peak my eyes open, feeling my jaw drop at who was standing before me.

"T-Teacher?"

Izumi Curtis' doppelganger lifted her eyebrow at me, scanning me over and crossing her arms. She may not be the woman who taught me alchemy in ways that nearly killed me, but she had the same ability to make me shiver down to my toes. I shrank as small as I could under that angry glare and hung my head, peaking up at her through my bangs. She nodded her head to me and looked over to Freddy.

"And who's this?"

Freddy bites her lip at me and answers in a small voice.

"This is Edward, Mom. He's a friend of mine."

'Teacher' shifts on the spot at this and glances back at me. All I could do was scream inside my head 'please don't eat me!' Freddy steps forward and I pretend not to be listening as she speaks in a hushed voice.

"Mom, can he stay with us for a while?"

I peak up at them to see 'Teacher's' eyes widen, her mouth hanging open in shock at her daughter's request. I could almost hear the answer now. All well, there was a particularly soft looking patch of grass back at the park…

"Freddy, what's going on?"

"He's just going through a rough patch…"

"Define rough patch."

"He, uh, got kicked out of his home."

Well, it was sort of true. I just didn't know how this would sway 'Teacher's' view of me into a positive light. I could see her scanning me over Freddy's shoulder and I looked down, suddenly very interested in the new shoes Freddy had just bought me. I'd have to thank her for these. Judging by the sound of her voice, I'd have to thank her for begging too.

"Please, Mom! He's not a troublemaker, he's just got an interesting past."

I felt fingers grasp my chin and my gaze was lifted. I was met with a face that was all too familiar, yet completely different from what I had known. Dark eyes lock with mine and I felt like my entire being was bared, scrutinized by the power of a mom protecting her family. I wait until she is finished, not daring to fidget or look away, and when she is finally through, she releases me and sighs, eyes closed and her hands on her hips.

"How can I say no to that face? Fine, he may stay."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding and I watched as Freddy let out a sigh of relief and hugged her mom around the middle. 'Teacher' looked down at her sternly, mouth drawn into a tight line and her voice very no-nonsense.

"But, he stays in the guest bedroom! He'll get room and board but other than that, it comes out of your allowance! He's your responsibility."

This was oddly familiar, but the roles reversed. I remember just six months ago, Colonel telling me that I was in charge of getting Freddy home. I felt like I'd been entrusted with protecting the Fuhrer. I immediately vowed not to make things difficult for her. After Freddy's response that she'd take responsibility, 'Teacher' now addressed me.

"Alright Edward. It's Miss Radcliff or Ma'am. Same rules apply to you as for Freddy and Seth. No smoking, no drinking, no drugs. Curfew is ten pm. Chores come before social activities, we'll talk about that tomorrow morning. If you break the 'smoking, drinking, drugs' rule, you're out. Any of the others and you're grounded. Got it?"

"Yes Ma'am."

I felt like I was five again. Miss Radcliff now smiled and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Good. Well then Edward, welcome. Now, both of you upstairs to sleep. Goodnight!"

Sleep. That one word sounded blissful right now. I smiled back up at her and after a quick thank you I followed Freddy upstairs and along the hallway. My eyes were beginning to droop from the days events and yawned despite my best efforts. I stopped as Freddy opened the door to a room directly across from hers, slipping inside after her.

It was the same yellow as her room, though it didn't have the various posters. There was a wooden bed pushed against the wall and there were dark blue curtains on the window that matched the blankets on the bed. There was a small desk and chair, but other than that the room was bare. I dropped my bag of old clothes and boots onto the floor at the foot of the bed and turned around to see Freddy standing by the desk.

"Sorry it's so bare. Something tells me you won't be spending much time in here anyways."

I nod and cross the room to stand in front of her. She doesn't look at me, her hair covering her face and I move to push back. She avoids it, however, leaning forward and planting a quick kiss on my cheek. I'm a little stunned by this, and I knit my brow in confusion as she walks out, stopping in the doorway and turning to me.

"Goodnight Edward. See you in the morning."

With that she closes the door and I'm left standing there with my mouth open, bewildered at was had just happened. What had happened to the affectionate girl that ran and held me when I was dropped into this world? I shrug it off, perhaps she's just tired, and begin to get ready for bed.

Stripped to boxers and my shirt, I slip into bed, yawning as I give figuring out what I'm going to do one last shot. The questions that had rattled in my brain all day seem even more daunting and I sigh as I close my eyes to sleep. One thing was certain.

Life in Vancouver, Canada was going to be interesting.

* * *

So, Ed will be staying with Freddy and her family. Things should be interesting!


	7. Chapter 6: A Week and the Weak

Here you go guys. I have a plan for chapter 7, but I've got a lot of reading to do, so it won't be up 'til next week. Sorry.

Freddy mine, Ed not.

* * *

My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 6: A Week and the Weak

My first week in Vancouver was… Interesting was the vague word for it. While it was similar to Amestris in some ways, it was drastically opposite in others. There were things here that we just didn't have back home! People acted very differently here, and wow were there a lot of people! More than Central and Lior combined! And they were all bustling this way or that, talking on 'cell phones' or listening to 'MP3s.'

Technology was so advanced here, I felt like I had to take notes on every new object to keep up.

I'd never seen a washing machine before. I'd never seen a digital clock before. On my first morning, I had come down to the kitchen for breakfast as Mrs Radcliff had said, but when the little box called the 'toaster' popped, I ducked under the table. When I peaked back up to see if the coast was clear, Seth and Freddy both laughed and Mrs Radcliff quirked an eyebrow when she placed the two pieces of toasted bread on my plate.

The Skytrain was a different story. On one of our little journeys to the city library, Freddy took me to what looked like an ordinary train station, purchasing two tickets from a big silver box and guiding me up the stairs onto a platform. I didn't understand. How could you ride a train when you're not on the ground? When a long string of passenger cars came zooming into the station, I couldn't help but let my jaw drop.

Where was the engine? Where was the conductor? Where were the station masters and how did the doors open by themselves? As Freddy led me into the train and to one of the many seats, she explained about the computers and the electric tracks. The doors closed, an announcement came on stating the line we were riding and the train began to move. It was sickeningly fast and it weaved around buildings with only feet to spare, all on a narrow little track suspended in midair.

I clung to Freddy, very nearly panicking when we went over a bridge, refusing to look out the window down to the deep green water.

When at last we reached our destination and the doors opened, I ran out of the train and onto the platform, sitting on a bench with my head between my knees until I was no longer dizzy. Freddy bought a bottle of water from a small vendor, handing it to me and sitting with me until I finally straightened, giving me a concerned look as I swayed.

"Are you okay, Edward?"

"Trains are supposed to stay on the ground! If you ever take me on one of those again, Freddy, I'll transmute you into something horrible!"

I found that most of the inventions of this world were actually entertaining. I didn't care much for television, but I liked the PlayStation 3 that connected to it. I had even beaten Freddy at her favourite game, 'DDR,' in which you stand on a little pad with arrows that you step on, following the instructions on the screen. More than once I fell on my ass. My favourite inventions so far were the ones specific to music, and I often spent my time in Freddy's room, browsing through her collection of CDs while we read. We agreed that Death Cab for Cutie and Kimya Dawson were both amazing artists, but I had been kicked out of her room for the rest of the day when I told her I hated The Beatles.

It was in her room I discovered baby monitors. I had picked up the little gadget on her night table, turning it over and playing with the little dials. When she explained that parents used them to keep tabs on their infants at night, I laughed at the fact that she had one in her room.

I didn't laugh that night when I found out why she used it.

I awoke to the sound of a thud, gasping and pained crying. I jumped out of bed and threw the door open, running across the hall to Freddy's room where the noise was coming from. Standing at the doorway, I was thrust back a little over two months to one of the worst nights of my life.

There on the floor, where she had collapsed, was Freddy, clutching her chest with her eyes shut in pain.

"Freddy!"

I ran to her, falling to my knees beside her and turning her onto her back. She was ghostly white and cold as ice, and when I put my automail to her forehead, her eyes peaked open. She was shivering and my first thought was to hold her to me to get her warm. As I did, I heard her whisper from near my chest.

"Get Mom…"

That made sense, since she was Freddy's mother and knew what to do for her daughter, and because I had learned Mrs Radcliff was a nurse. But I was too scared to leave her. I looked around until I found the baby monitor, the back popped off and the batteries loose, half under the bed from when Freddy collapsed. I grabbed it, knocking the batteries back into place and turning the dial so I could be heard.

"Help! Freddy needs help! Please!"

I heard running and a moment later Mrs Radcliff had pulled me away from her daughter, laying her back down on the ground. Almost instantly, Seth joined us, running straight for her backpack. I backed up until I was pressed against the wall, watching as the two worked. Mrs Radcliff was taking her pulse, using a small machine with a cuff around Freddy's arm to check blood pressure and pulling blankets down around her daughter. Seth kneeled next to her, pulling out medications from her bag, so many more than what she had when she came to Amestris.

I wanted to hold her hand and be the one to keep her safe. But I remembered how I couldn't help, how her heart had stopped beating under my hands. So I watched Seth and Mrs Radcliff, biting my lip as I waited.

Finally the medication set in and the color in her face came back. She opened her eyes, no longer shivering, and the slight beeping from the machine became regular and slow. I waited while Mrs Radcliff helped her up, pulling the blankets around her and kissing her forehead. When she stood, I took a step towards Freddy.

"Edward."

I looked up at Mrs Radcliff. She and Seth were both looking at me with a curious frown and glanced down at myself. In my rush to help Freddy, I had forgotten about my automail. In only my boxers and muscle top, my metal arm and leg stood out almost dark and menacing in the low light. I bit my lip, shifting nervously and I reached my flesh and blood arm to cover my right. Seth gave his usual glare and Mrs Radcliff spoke almost monotone.

"Go back to sleep, Edward."

I looked up at her and nodded, turning to leave. I didn't want to. I wanted to stay with Freddy and make sure she was alright, but I did as I was told. I looked back over my shoulder at her, and I know she saw me because her eyes locked with mine, but she closed them and went to sleep.

Freddy had been acting odd since the day I had arrived. We were friendly enough when out in public, but in the house or by ourselves she had grown distant. We hadn't kissed once since that first reunion in her room. She didn't speak to me unless I spoke to her, wouldn't look me in the eye and when I'd move to take her hand or hold her, she'd slip away and leave the room.

What had happened? Did I do something wrong? Did she find someone else? Did she not care for me anymore?

Had I been wrong to think that she'd cared for me in the first place?

I didn't know what to do. I couldn't ask Seth about her feelings. Her brother had made his distaste for me very clear, snarling when he spoke and always glaring at me. I couldn't ask her mother, who didn't know that we'd kissed and that we were… What were we?

It was infuriating and so I buried myself into my work on getting home. I had to get to Al. Freddy had mentioned once that alchemy was once a practiced science in this world, but that it had died out long ago. Without help from my world to initiate a transmutation, my only choice was to try to establish a link to Al and research the ancient alchemy here. I found that Vancouver Public Library, four times the size of Central's, had quite the collection on the subject. Separating the fact from the fiction was the hard part.

"Come on Freddy! You know that's not how alchemy works! We don't need batteries, concentrate!"

"There needs to be an energy source, Ed! When I was taken to Amestris, the Robson kids used two batteries when they activated the circle on this side, remember? We can't just clap and will it to happen!"

We sat at the cluster of tables in the middle of the library's third floor, snapping back and forth at each other much to the annoyance of the other readers. Volumes were stacked around us and our notebooks were covered in crossed out theories. We were getting nowhere and it was starting to frazzle our nerves, our voices growing louder by the second.

"Don't shout that name here. And we're not willing anything, batteries won't do any good!"

"Cold fusion won't do any good either so keep looking!"

"I don't need you to tell me to keep looking, Freddy! I probably have a better idea of what I'm looking for than you do!"

Freddy glared at me, eyes sparking dangerously and she stood. I thought she was going to strike me, honest I did. I could feel the people looking at us, but I didn't care! I was too angry! Freddy leaned forward, her face inches from mine and she whispered low and menacing.

"Fine. You think you can do better, do it yourself!"

She picked up the volume she had been working on and threw it down onto mine. She grabbed her backpack and jacket, turning and heading towards the stairs to leave. I stood and called.

"Freddy! Freddy!"

She kept walking without looking back and I cursed. Sitting back down, I heard the low murmur of the people around us and I swallowed hard to keep from yelling at them to mind their own business. I held my head in my hands, closing my eyes and trying to calm myself. Freddy and I had fought with each other. We hadn't done that in months, since we called the truce back in Central's library. I hated that we'd done it and I winced at the thought of it, of arguing with the first girl that made me feel… happy.

How did this happen?

* * *

A little bit of romance to add some suspense. Things will pick up next chapter about Ed's attempts to get home. If you don't know what a "Skytrain" is, it's basically like a subway, only the track is suspended on large pillars above ground. As for the part abot Ed's taste in music, I got this from a dream I had. I had dreampt he and I were hanging out in my room, he was sitting on my desk and he said he liked my Death Cab for Cutie CD. Then he said he didn't like The Beatles. Being a die-hard Beatle fan, I kicked him out, then I woke up. Do not watch FMA while eating nachos, then fall asleep to DCforC. Weird dreams happen.


	8. Chapter 7: Dreams and Distractions

Hey guys! I wrote this one out of frustration, and there will be a sibling chapter to this one. It will hopefully all make sense when I'm done. I'm kinda flying by the seat of my pants with this one.

Freddy's mine. Ed has escaped my grasp once again.

* * *

My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 7: Dreams and Distractions

_It was freezing cold. Winds whipped around my body, tossing my coat this way and that around me and my hair was blown into my face. My cheeks stung from the air slapping them and my nose was slightly running. I shivered, the automail seeming to leech the warmth from my body, my thigh and shoulder numb where the steel connected and I wished the wind would disappear._

_I was lying on my back, I think, and something hard and pointed was digging its way into my side. My head was pounding and the wind tunnel around me added insult to injury. My ears were bombarded by the whooshing sound and I struggled to pick up anything other than the noise of the wind, but it was useless._

_My eyelids felt like they were made of lead, heavy and when I tried to open my eyes, I couldn't even peak them. I could feel the presence of another person here with me, wherever here was, and I struggled to move. I felt like I had expended all my energy, exhausted from just the effort, but I hadn't moved at all._

_The presence was drawing closer and I knew I needed to move, to open my eyes and stand up. I didn't think the presence was threatening: In fact I felt the very opposite. I needed to get to them. They were someone I cared about deeply, they were in trouble and I needed to reach them. Was it Freddy? Was it Al? _

_I heard murmuring somewhere to the right of me, but I couldn't make out the words. They were lost in the wind and I couldn't make out who was speaking. I tried to speak, but my lips were just as heavy as my eyelids and my throat was dry and sore. The presence tried to speak again, this time snippets of the words came through._

"_B…Er."_

_I tried again to speak, but I found the more I tried, the more it hurt my throat. My eyes still refused to open and my limbs were weights. The wind grew louder and more intense, and I felt like I was going to be blown away with nothing to hold on to. Again the voice spoke, this time clear as day over the noise._

"_Brother."_

_As if the weights on my eyes had been lifted, they snapped open at the word. The first thing I saw was red. I thought it was blood, but blood doesn't move like that. I realized they were sparks, small releases of electricity around me. Past the hair in my eyes, I saw that the whole room was bathed in a red glow, one that was familiar. _

_My muscles at last began to move and I pushed myself up, sitting and looking around. I was laying in the middle of the transmutation circle I had tried to use to bring Al and my bodies back. The thing that had been poking me in the side was my automail arm, curved under me. The sparks of red were snapping up into the air from various points of the circle, and from across my skin. My body felt tingly and my blood was rushing through my veins. The air was still biting cold and the wind swayed me on the spot._

"_Brother."_

_I looked up at the room around me. That was Al's voice. But I could only see the dorm room, bathed in the red light from the spark around me. The industrial lights had gone out and the room was dark with the night outside. I saw no suit of armor, no source for my brother's voice. _

"_Brother."_

_Again I heard him and I hauled myself to my feet, ignoring the vibrations of electricity that washed over me in waves. I turned on the spot, eyes narrowed against the bright sparks and the dark shadows as I tried to find Al. I swallowed against my dry throat and called hoarsely out to him._

"_Al?"_

_I didn't get an answer and I made to take a step from the circle. My leg grew heavy again and when pulling made no difference, I looked down at my foot. At my ankle, wrapped around and no letting go, was a cretin from the Gate. I kicked at it, watching as its sticky hand made it farther up my automail. With little success, I fought as more emerged from the circle to grab at me._

"_Al! Where are you!?"_

_I struggled against their hold, looked around me for my little brother. The cretins managed to work up to my waist and I grabbed hold of one's hand, prying it away as best I could with cold, numb fingers. I cried out as it tightened its grip painfully on me._

"_Brother."_

_My eyes snapped open. There, just outside the circle, glowing in the red was Al. He stood stock still as he watched me, the sparks reflecting off the metal of his suit. He didn't move towards me. He didn't say another word as he watched me._

_I felt sticky hands on my shoulder and realized I had been still too long as I stared at him and I began to fight the cretins again. I winced as one grasped my hair and pulled._

"_Argh! Al, help!"_

_Al didn't move. He just stood there, staring at me almost sadly. I stared back at him, trying to swat the hold of the Gate from me. I didn't understand. Why wouldn't he help? Couldn't he step into the circle? The red sparks were growing in intensity and my body was growing numb again. Little black fingers slid against my cheek and I screamed. He simply replied._

"_Brother."_

_I opened my eyes to stare at Al as he watched. I was going to be dragged into the Gate and he wasn't helping. I'd never see him again. I coughed as the little hands found their way into my mouth and I was pulled down to the circle, the design shifting around me like quick-sand. I tried to wiggle, but the hold was so tight I couldn't move in the slightest, pressure building on my body. I watched as I was slowly pulled into the circle, staring at my little brother as he sadly spoke._

"_Brother. Come back."_

I woke with a start, gasping for breath and thrashing against what held my body. The cretins still had me! I kicked and squirmed, then I fell. I hit the floor with a thump and I groan, the blanket to my bed untangling itself from around my body. I was sweaty and shivering, kneeling on the floor of the room I had been given. I gulped for air and looked around me, my heart pounding in my chest.

The clock on the night table read three in the morning. I sighed, pushing my sweaty hair from my eyes and I stood. I pulled the blanket around myself, still shivering, but I didn't feel like I could go back to sleep. I paced the room, thinking back on what I'd seen

It had been the same thing for the last two weeks. Since Freddy and I had argued in the library. Every night my unconscious mind struggled against the cretins of the Gate, trying to get to my brother, only for me to wake cold, sweaty and confused.

During the day, I could hardly concentrate on the research that would get me home, much to Freddy's annoyance. My mind would drift to the red sparks, the wind around my body. I would tense at the thought of struggling against the Gate's hold, of the way Al would just stand and watch. And his words always saddened me.

'_Brother. Come back.'_

That's what I'm trying to do, Al!

It had to mean something!

Frustrated and tired of pacing the same six feet of the room, I opened the door and slid out into the hallway, looking around. The others would probably be asleep; I couldn't barge in and start blabbing on about what I'd seen. Seth would glare at me and Mrs Radcliff would kick me out faster than I could clap. I sighed and looked at the closed bedroom door in front of me.

I crept forward, slowly turning the knob and pushing the door open, peaking inside. It was dark safe for the moonlight filtering through the window. I slipped inside, closing the door softly behind me, making my way slowly to the bed. There, sleeping on her side facing me, her hair fanned out on the pillow, was Freddy.

She looked so peaceful, her lips slightly parted and her hands lightly clasped in front of her, almost as if she were praying. Her nightshirt made her skin seem pearly white and she glowed slightly in the moonlight. If I'd believed in angels, I would have thought her one. Maybe coming to ask her was a mistake. With the way we'd been snapping at each other, she'd probably yell at me for waking her and tell me to get out. I hung my head and turned to leave.

My automail leg had other plans, however, and I tripped on the edge of the blanket around me. I lost my balance, falling face first onto the foot of the bed. The motion bounced us both and I let out an 'oof' as I got a mouth full of mattress.

Way to go, Cluts.

I cursed under my breath, hoping that if the motion hadn't woken her, my swears wouldn't. I waited silently, but to my embarrassment, Freddy stirred and sat up, looking around. I froze, eyes wide as she focused on me. She reached over and turned off the baby monitor. She sighed and I stood awkwardly, biting my lip and hanging my head again as I waited for her to begin her rant. She pulled me to sit next to her on the bed, taking my chin in her hand and forcing me to look her in the eyes. Her brow was knit, her lips drawn into a tight line and her sharp eyes scanning my face. Her look hardened and I squirmed.

Here comes the castration.

"What's wrong, Ed?"

I stared at her for a moment, unbelieving. What had happened to the past three weeks of arguing? What had happened to telling each other off and storming away? I blinked when she reach forward and pushed my bangs from my eyes. Her expression had softened and taken on concern. She shuffled closer and I was in such a state of shock at her sudden change that I nearly forgot what I'd come here for. I licked my lips, wondering how I could phrase this without sounding like a blabbering idiot. I took a deap breath, looked into her eyes and whispered.

"Do you know anything about dreams?"

* * *

Hopefully this gives a hint to my title for this fiction. The next chapter will hopefully be up by the end of the week. Hopefully maybe.


	9. Chapter 8: No Reason or Rhyme

Hi guys. Sorry this took so long to come out. I have been really busy with school. Okay, so I decided to go with a bit of a psychological theme for this story. _Misadventures in Alchemy I_ had a medical aspect to it. We all know Ed's mind is a busy, scary place. I don't know about you, but every time that kid grins, I get the 'no' feeling. So, I've decided to play on that. This chapter has a lot of chit chat.

Disclaimer: Ed has escaped my grasp again. I really need to tie those knots tighter...

* * *

My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 8: No Reason or Rhyme

"Tell me again."

I sighed. I had recited the dream about fifteen times already! I glanced over at the clock on Freddy's nightstand, groaning. It was six thirty in the morning! We'd been at this for three and a half hours! I turned to Freddy, watching as she paced her room in thought, turning something called a 'Rubik's cube' around in her hand. I pulled my blanket tighter around myself and began.

"I was lying in the middle of the circle-"

"-In the middle of the room-"

"-If you know how the dream goes, can I stop repeating it please?"

She turned to me, giving me a stern look that said 'keep going or get out.' I shrank a little. I had discovered in Amestris that Freddy was not a morning person. I kept going.

"I was in the circle, in the middle of the room and there was a rebound."

Freddy bit her lip and kept pacing, glancing over at me every now and again. Oh, what I'd give to be able to read her mind. To be able to know what it meant when she shrugged and whispered to herself. What it meant when she peaked over at me. I kept going.

"I heard Al call for me and I stood to see him. I went to walk over to him when the Gate's cretins grabbed me."

Freddy quirked an eyebrow at the words 'Gate's cretins,' walking over to sit beside me. I shifted slightly. I was tired and annoyed. The more I recited the dream, the more it sounded exactly that; just a dream. If I'd just kept my mouth shut rather than running to Freddy, I'd be asleep right now, not playing 21 Questions. I struggled against a yawn as Freddy spoke again.

"What is a Gate cretin, anyway?"

The creepiest things I'd ever seen.

"They're these pitch black little creatures with big eyes and the faces of infants. And they have these sticky little hands that grab you and pull you into the Gate."

Freddy stared blankly at me like I'd just spoken Xingian to her. Yep, bad dream. I put my hands up in defence, shaking my head.

"Hey, I know you think I'm crazy and need to be put away in some asylum somewhere, but that's what I saw!"

Freddy shook her head, grabbing the blanket I was wrapped in and wrapping it around herself too. She gave a slight chuckle, shifting until we were beside each other.

"Come on, Ed. After being sucked from one world and spat out into another, fighting a shape-shifter and meeting a fourteen year-old walking tin can, I'm starting to believe anything is possible!"

I gave a grin.

"Like space aliens?"

She knit her brow, tilting her head to the side a moment as she thought.

"Maybe not space aliens…"

"Just alchemy…"

"Oh, I believe in alchemy!"

She gave a giggle and I grinned. I decided to see how much of the tension between us had been eased. I moved a little closer to her, moving my arm slowly until it was wrapped around her waist. Her laughter faded and she became sort of stiff. After a moment, she turned to me.

"What happened after the cretins grabbed you?"

Damn. Still a ten foot wall of ice between us. I sighed and thought back to the previous subject of my dream. Let's see. Dark and windy, I heard Al, cretins, blah blah blah… Oh, I hadn't told her about the circle!

"The circle we used was sort of similar to Al's blood seal. And for some reason, Al couldn't come into it when I called for help…"

Now that I think about it, it was as if he couldn't move at all. He had stood there, still as stone, and his voice had been sad and worried. Was there something I was missing? I looked back up at Freddy, who was staring at me in concern.

"Did you see why Al couldn't help you, or do you just not remember?"

I thought for a moment. I didn't see anything holding Al back, but I was so focused on getting the cretins off of me. Was he being held back by something? Was he in danger? I shook my head.

"I didn't see anything… I don't know. I don't remember!"

I growled in frustration, burying my head in my hands. Al was alone, possibly in danger, and needing me, yet here I was, stuck in Vancouver trying to deal with dreams. No, not a dream. It had to be something more. I had to get to him. I had to protect him, I'm the older brother, I have to look after him. I felt Freddy push my hair back and wrap her arms around me.

"Hey… We'll figure it out okay? Al will be alright. From what I've seen, he can take care of himself. Until then, let's see if we can tap into this dream."

I sighed, nodding and taking her hand. She didn't pull away this time and it was a small comfort in all the confusion. She leaned her head on my automail shoulder and closed her eyes. We silent for a moment and then I heard her whispering under her breath.

"Tap… Tap, tap… Tap..."

I frowned and looked down at her. Her brow was knit in concentration and I could tell she was focusing on figuring something out. She opened her eyes and sat bolt right up. Her mouth hung open for a moment, then she jumped up, throwing the blanket off of herself.

"I have an idea!"

It wouldn't have been more obvious if she'd shouted 'eureka!' I watched as she walked across the room to grab a notepad and pen from her desk, watching as she stuffed them into her backpack. When she walked by to grab her cell phone, I cleared my throat.

"So, you gonna tell me what it is?"

She glanced over at me as she flipped her phone open, fingers speeding over the keys as she tapped out what I'd come to know was a text message. Grabbing a book from her backpack, she threw it over to me. _Psychology: The Study of the Mind. _Was she implying that I needed to see a shrink?

"Turn to chapter seven."

I did as I was told. On the page was a diagram of an iceberg divided into two parts. The first smaller part made up the tip of the top, with the word 'conscious' scrawled across it. The much larger second part was the rest of iceberg with the word 'unconscious.' I glanced back up at Freddy.

"Can you narrow this down for me a little?"

She walked over to stand in front of me, reaching down and pointing to the diagram.

"This represents our whole mind, both conscious and unconscious. Our conscious mind is what we're using now."

She pointed to the small tip of the iceberg on the page.

"We're awake and alert. We can observe things and react; we can think, have conversations and recall certain memories. Everything else is in our unconscious mind."

At this, she pointed at the large bottom of the iceberg.

"This contains our instinctual needs, our true reasoning and thoughts, and emotions we may not know we feel. It also includes every memory we have ever had. What we know consciously is so small compared to our unconscious simply because we're not capable of governing it all at once. Just like an iceberg: What we see of it is just a small portion of what is actually there."

My brain is an iceberg. Great. I sighed and shrugged, looking between her and the book as I flipped through the pages, trying to decipher what she was saying.

"Okay. How does this relate to my dream?"

Freddy zipped up her bag and sat down next to me, taking the book from me and flipping to a certain page. It was another picture of an iceberg with the words scrawled across, but this time there was a small gate where the two parts were divided. I frowned as Freddy spoke.

"Dreams are the mind's way of taking the conscious and committing it to the unconscious. Turning short term memories into long and sorting out problems our conscious mind isn't capable of comprehending. It's when the two sections of our mind flow together. I have a feeling that the rest of your dream of is in that tricky mind of yours and we just have to go in and fish it out."

I looked up at her wide eyed. Just what sort of crazy scientist method was she going to use on me? She smiled and I shook my head.

"Oh no, I'm not letting you 'fish' anything out!"

She snapped the book shut, crossing her arms and giving me a glare. I did the same, still shaking my head. There was no way I was going to let her go tinkering around in my mind. I liked my mind untinkered, thank you. She sighed and took my chin in her hand, forcing me to look her in the eye.

"Listen, Ed. It's the only way we're going to figure out what your dream is about! We can't do that with only half the story! So either trust me and try what I have in mind, or we can go back to studying in the library."

I huffed. We weren't getting anywhere studying the ancient alchemy of this world. And I had to figure out how to get home to Al, especially if he was in trouble. I had a feeling he was. Argh, sometimes I hated that she was right! I frowned and pulled my chin from Freddy's grip, crossing my arms like a stubborn child.

"Fine! But no messing around! You go in, get what we need from the dream and that's it!"

Freddy smiled, leaning in and kissing me on the cheek. Oh sure, add insult to injury. She grabbed me and jumped up, dragging me with her. She then pushed me towards the door.

"Good, get dressed and meet me down at the car in ten minutes!"

Where ever we were going, there had better be coffee.

* * *

Any guesses as to what Freddy is planning to do to Ed? There will be a lot of chit chat in the next chapter, but an unexpected visit from a certain character, and it will not blow over well. Okay, I have two term papers, two presentations, a term project and three exams in the next three weeks. I won't be able to post next chapter until December. I know, I suck. I'm sorry. I'll go crawl into my schoolwork lined hole now...


	10. Chapter 9: What Lies Beneath

This is how to get into the deep, dark place that is Edward's mind... Not that anyone would really want to go there, but y'know...

Still waiting for Hiromu Arakawa to call me up and give me the rights to FMA. So far it's slow in coming.

* * *

My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 9: What Lies Beneath

"Hypnotism?"

Freddy sighed and shrugged, leading me up the walkway to a large house I didn't recognise. She didn't turn around and I couldn't help but stare at her back a moment. When she stopped on the front porch, I stood beside her, scanning her features for some sign that she was fibbing. She wasn't. I rubbed my brow a moment, looking at the front door without seeing it, then back at her.

"Seriously?"

She quirked a brow as she folded her arms, giving me a slight grin. I shifted on the spot, more than a little uncomfortable. I didn't like people in my head. The only people I like in my head are me and that little voice that tells me to do things called my conscience. Which oddly enough sounds like Al. That makes me sound crazy, doesn't it? I sighed. Was the type of hypnotism I was thinking of the same that she was thinking of?

"Hypnotism as in 'listen to my voice, follow the pocket watch' hypnotism?"

"Oh, that reminds me! Can I borrow your pocket watch?"

My jaw dropped. She was dead serious about this! She was really going to put me under and tinker around in my mind until she found what she needed. The words 'mind rape' settled in front of my eyes and I shook my head, turning on my heel to march back to the van.

"Oh no! Nope, not happening!"

"Ed, please!"

I felt arms wrap around my waist and I was brought to an abrupt halt. Red hair entered my field of vision and I stubbornly cross my arms as I refused to look at Freddy. She stood on tiptoe to meet my eyelevel and I knit my brow as she spoke.

"Come on! I won't let anything happen to you! If this doesn't work then we try something else, what's there to lose by giving it a shot?"

I huffed. She was right. There was nothing to lose by giving this a shot: It could only benefit us. I tapped my fingers against my automail, frowning as I thought. At last I shrugged and nodded.

"Fine. I'll try it."

"Thank you! I promise, no embarrassing videos on YouTube!"

"What?"

I wasn't rewarded with an answer before she knocked on the door, which was opened instantly as a blur of black and red hopped out and wrapped itself around Freddy. I raised an eyebrow as a girl with Winry Rockbell's face hugged her, pulling back to greet us. I scanned her. Black hair, black t-shirt and red pajama pants, which had black cats on them. Even her bracelets were black. When she talked I saw the tongue ring and I couldn't help but shiver. I'd never be able to look at Winry the same way again!

"Hi there! You must be Edward!"

Word gets around fast here, doesn't it?

"I must be."

We were dragged into the house, introductions passed around and Terry walking off into the kitchen. I looked around the room nervously, trying to put the thought of what these two girls were going to do to me out of my mind. I looked over at Freddy, who shuffled beside me as we stood in the hall waiting. Terry returned with two steaming mugs and the scent made me smile in appreciation.

Coffee!

I held out my hand, but one mug was passed to Freddy and the other Terry raised to her lips. I frowned and Freddy gave me an apologetic look.

"Hypnotism works best when you're tired. Sorry, no coffee for you."

I stared agape at her. She keeps me up half the night to repeat the dream, forces me to drag myself out of warm blankets and get dressed, takes me on a twenty minute car ride to a gothic rendition of my best friend so I could have the deepest part of my mind exposed. And now she was denying me coffee! I shook my head as I watched her.

"You're cruel! You're evil! You're a sadist!"

"You can have some when we're done."

"You're pretty!"

Freddy rolled her eyes and grabbed my arm as we were led into a Terry's bedroom. It reminded me of a cartoon Seth had been watching once, 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' I believe. Dark walls, posters of demonic-looking creatures with black roses and sad faces. I shivered. Forget looking at Winry the same, I'd never be able to go to the Rockbell house again!

Now that we were here, it was all business. I sat on the bed and Freddy stood nearby, watching me as Terry got a few things together. Pulling a chair in front of me, Terry tied her hair back out of her eyes and smiled. I shuffled, nervous, and glanced at Freddy, who gave me a smile that wasn't all too reassuring. Terry's voice made me swallow deeply and I met her eyes.

"Okay Edward, close your eyes and try to relax. This only works when you relax."

I sighed and did as I was told, the room, Terry and Freddy disappearing as I let my eyes slide closed. I sighed, letting my eyes adjust to the sudden darkness, trying to focus on relaxing. It was hard to do considering I knew that my entire mental state was in the hands of a teenage girl.

"Don't focus on anything but relaxing, deep breaths, clear mind…"

Terry's voice had taken a softer tone, as if trying to calm me, but it did the exact opposite. With my eyes shut and the room still, all I could notice was the small things. I could hear the sounds of the world outside stirring into life, the smell of the coffee, the feeling of my hair tickling my neck… I frowned and shrugged, trying to move my braid.

"Edward, don't move, let your muscles loosen, deep breaths. Relax."

If she said the word 'relax' one more time… This was annoying. I flopped down on the bed, growling in frustration. I wanted answers, I wanted to figure out this dream, find a way home and get back to Al. I didn't want to lay here doing breathing exercises! I could feel my body strumming, my muscles tight in aggravation, fists curled as I tried to slow my breathing, tried to calm my pounding heart. My mind buzzed with flashes of the dream, of how I ended up here, of my stay here since. I could hear rustling again and Terry's voice.

"Just relax."

I frowned.

"How about I dictate and you relax?"

I snapped and could hear a frustrated sigh from Winry's doppelganger. A moment later I felt a soft hand slip into my left and a warm presence beside me. There was a familiar scent and Freddy spoke softly near my ear.

"Ed, please… Just try, okay?"

I peaked an eye open and looked over at her. Her brow was knit and her eyes had a pleading look of concern, her lips in a tentative smile. I stared at her a moment, then sighed as I closed my eye, squeezing her hand.

"Fine, I'll try."

She didn't pull her hand away and that helped somewhat. I tried slowing my breathing, willing my muscles to loosen, my mind to stop buzzing. I could feel Freddy's hand in mine, her thumb stroking the skin on the back, and I focused on that. On the warmth, on the slight tickle of it. It had been a while since we'd held hands and it was nice to have taken another step closer to being on good terms again.

I parted my lips, letting my breath come in slight puffs, feeling my heart become sluggish, almost as if I was asleep but not. Before I knew it my body felt heavy, my muscles like bricks and I couldn't move them even if I'd wanted. I could see darkness, but with swirls like smoke in front of my eyes. I watched as it curled and rippled in front of me, wanting to reach out and grasp it for some reason, but quite content to just observe. It was so calming.

"Let's go back to the dream, Edward."

Terry's voice came as a slight surprise to me. I had almost forgotten she was there. All at one I felt completely awake. Dammit, so close and yet so far! I groaned and huffed, shuffling on the bed. I shook my head as I growled.

"This isn't going to work-"

I opened my eyes and stopped mid sentence. I wasn't expecting what I saw.

I was back in the dorm rooms in Central, standing in the middle of the glowing transmutation circle. The wind was blowing all around, swirling my coat around me and I felt cold. My hair was in my eyes and the howling was deafening in my ears, I shivered as looked around me in amazement. The room was dark, like it had been in the dream, curtains closed and no light but the red glow from the circle at my feet. It felt so real.

"Woah…"

"Edward."

I looked to my left, where the beds of the dorm should be, eyes wide to see Terry sitting on the end of my bed, Freddy standing next to her. They look calm, untouched by anything around them. They weren't in the dream. Why are they here now? I knit my brow to see Terry was talking, but I couldn't quite make out what she was saying over the gusts in my ears.

"What? I can't hear… The wind…"

"Drown out the wind, Edward."

The words are clear as if she is right beside me and all at once the wind is gone, the room settling and filling with near silence in its absence. The notes on the table still and my coat hangs from me, which I pull closer to fight the cold that I still feel. I look back up at Freddy and Terry, blinking as the later speaks.

"Focus on the dream, Edward. Are you in the dream?"

I swallow against a lump in my throat, nodding. I look around the room again, glancing down at the transmutation circle at my feet. The tell-tale red glow makes me nervous, but I look back up at Terry.

"Yeah, I'm here. In the dorms. But you weren't! You or Freddy weren't in my dream!"

"Shh, don't mind us. Focus on what's happening."

My attention is pulled ahead of me and I see Al standing there when he hadn't been a moment before. I smile at the sight of him and I know that he can see me as he looks me over. I watch as he takes a step closer, stopping a few inches from the circle.

"Brother!"

"Al!"

I grin and he moves towards me, steps faltering as he moves to enter the circle, as if a glass barrier kept him from coming closer. I am about to move towards him, but my legs are heavy and I can't lift my feet from the ground. My smile fades to fear when Al looks around anxiously and Terry's voice speaks to me.

"What's happening, Edward?"

I look over at her and realise that while I can see her and Freddy, they can't see me or anything else. I stare wide eyed, then return my gaze to my brother.

"It's Al! He's here! But he can't get to me, he can't get into the circle!"

I watch as Al tries again, but fails to get into the circle. I turn to Terry, who looks confused. She speaks to Freddy, though I can't hear what she's saying, and I know by the way Freddy looks she is telling a lie as she replies. I also know that she is scared. Terry turns back to me and I return to Al as he speaks.

"Brother! Get out of the circle! Get out of the rebound! Come back!"

"Al!"

I tried to move again, trying to lift the lead weights that were my legs and get out. I look down when I feel the familiar grip of small black hands. The Gate cretins were holding me back from my brother. I growl and fight against their hold, snarling as they snake their way up my body. No, it's happening so much faster than in the dream! Why won't Terry and Freddy help? I feel them grab tight, squeezing my stomach, chest, shoulders…

"Brother, help!"

I look up to see Al is no longer watching me, but rather staring at the dorm room door, stance mimicking what we had learned from Teacher. There is a loud bang and Al jumps, glancing back at me nervously. I fight their hold, screaming out his name, fighting to push the sticky hands from my eyes, my mouth.

"Al! Al, what's wrong? Al! Alphonse!"

Hands cover my mouth and nose and precious oxygen is cut off. I squirm, feeling myself be dragged into the Gate, my struggles useless to free myself. My limbs were growing heavier and I was having trouble coordinating my movements. My mind was spinning and I could see dots in front my eyes as my lungs screamed for air. Wake me up, damn it! Freddy, Terry, do something!

"Edward, wake up!"

I taste sweet air as it fills my lungs and my heavy body lifts from the bed as I bolt up. I collide roughly into something and arms wrap around me. I open my eyes and red hair tickles my face. Freddy's voice whispers into my ear to calm me, hands rubbing my back as I cling to her, gulping my breath back.

"Shh, Ed. You're awake, you're safe."

I see Terry over Freddy's shoulder, giving me a look of curiosity. When she sees I am looking at her, she blushes and scurries out of the room, leaving me holding onto Freddy like a lifeline. Long after my breathing slows, I pull away from her, swallowing as I met her scared eyes.

"It's Al. I think he needs help."

* * *

When I wrote the part about embarrassing videos on YouTube, I had an image of Ed acting like a chicken and Freddy grinning behind a camcorder. A little longer than I had initially planned. I'm hoping to get the next one up before Christmas. But I work retail and it's shopping season, so I may not survive. If not, this is my loving tribute.


	11. Chapter 10: Where You Hang Your Head

OH... my gosh! This took a really long time to get out! I can't believe I had that much of a block. I'm sorry guys. Anywho, to make up for it, I figured a little bit of a longer chapter would be nice. There's not much in the way of action, but there's some bonding. Okay, here goes.

Not mine. No money goes into my wallet for this. That's why it's always empty.

* * *

My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 10: Home's Where You Hang Your Head

We had tried six times to find some sort of hint in the dream, but every time was a failure. All I saw was Al, calling for me, trying to get me to step out of the circle. Sticky hands and infant's faces, and I'd be pulled into the circle to wake shivering and gasping for breath.

It didn't make any sense.

Freddy flicked the turn signal on and slipped into a gas station, parking the van and stepping out. I turned up the heat, still chilled to the bone and sat back into my seat, closing my eyes. As soon as they slid closed, I was brought back to the dorm rooms, bathed in red light and swirling with wind. I swallowed, trying to pick out details, but now that I was awake and alert, everything seemed blurred and vague compared to when I was put under.

I clenched my fists, licking my lips and trying to fight my way back into my unconscious mind. Circle, rebound, wind, light, blood seal, Al! Dammit! I huffed and reached up, rubbing my brow at the headache that was slowly starting to throb.

I couldn't get over the fact that my mind was telling me that my brother was in danger. I knew that most would tell me I'm just being paranoid and not to worry. I was probably overreacting and was really going through an extreme bought of homesickness. Part of me wanted to relax. The other part of me knew that something was wrong, because if things were all cheery and right in the world, I wouldn't be stuck here.

"-Say something, you're scaring the hell outta me!"

I jumped, eyes wide, and stared at the driver's seat. Freddy had her brow knit and an 'angry out of love' type of expression on her face. I hadn't even noticed Freddy was in the van again until she was yelling at me. I sat up in my seat, looking around me. We were sitting in an abandoned parking lot outside of a shaky old joint called Aunt Judy's café. I didn't even hear the engine or feel the van move. I must be more out of it than I thought. Right, Freddy wanted me to say something.

"Something."

My attempt at lifting the mood didn't work and Freddy tilted her head to the side. I didn't say anything more and Freddy finally opened the door, hopping out and leaned against it as I continued to sit there.

"Come on. I'll buy you breakfast and we'll talk."

Breakfast I could do, but depending on what she wanted to talk about I could be in trouble. So I got out and we made our way into the little café. The door was propped open and the inside screamed family restaurant. It was completely empty except for us, which I liked. There were worn leather booths along the panelled wall and chairs gathered around large round tables. None of the chairs matched and there was the occasional piece of thrift art on the wall. At the far end was the kitchen with a window facing the door of the café, a large menu board over the top with small plastic letters showing what the day's special was. We took a seat in one of the booths and I quirked an eyebrow at the napkin holder with a hippy daisy on it. I gave a grin, thinking back on Niki's.

"You find the most interesting places to go, I like them."

"You haven't met Aunt Judy yet!"

"Who?"

At this, a tiny old Xingian woman with a kind smile came out of the kitchen with an apron and a slight waddle walking over to us. Her eyes sparkled and Freddy gave a smile upon seeing her, standing up and giving her a hug. 'Aunt Judy' embraced her as if Freddy was her own niece, leaning back and taking her face in her wrinkled hands, speaking with a slight accent.

"Freddy! You're getting so tall! How are your brother and mum?"

"They're good, Seth made the soccer team! This is Ed, Aunt Judy! He's staying with us for a while!"

Aunt Judy turned her eyes to me and I felt instantly comforted, as if I had been looking at my own grandmother, whom I had never met. She gave a big smile and reached out to hug me. I shifted slightly as she looked me over, eyes giving a mischievous glint as she looked back at Freddy.

"He's very handsome, would make a good boyfriend…"

"Aunt Judy!"

"What? I'm old, not blind!"

Freddy turned five different shades of red and I think I did as well. The little old lady gave a whooping laugh and wrapped her arms around us. After a few more moments of chitchat, Aunt Judy took our orders, poured us each a coffee and toddled back into the kitchen. Freddy sat across from me, a smile lingering on her lips and it was the first time I'd felt so calm. I nodded.

"Yep, I like her!"

"I thought you would!"

It fell silent again and I fiddled with the silverware as we were quite content to keep it that way. Well, Freddy was at least. I could never sit still for more than a few minutes when I had something on my mind and I needed to start a conversation or I'd go mad. I said the first thing that blurted into my head.

"How does Terry know how to hypnotise?"

Dumb boy! Dumb, dumb boy! Instantly I regretted the question as I watched the smile fade from Freddy's face. She put her mug down, staring into the liquid, eyes darkening slightly and I felt I'd just dropped a tonne on her shoulders with the question. I'd always been good at ruining a moment. Freddy didn't look up at me as she grumbled one word.

"Therapy."

My immediate reaction was 'great, the girl muddling with my head is a nut job.' After that, I focused beyond the point of my own selfish existence and realised how Freddy had said it. Her grip on the mug was white knuckle and her lips were drawn into a tight line. I must be really dumb. I leaned over the table, whispering low.

"Freddy? Why is Terry in therapy?"

Freddy bit her lip, still staring into her coffee as if it were about to speak to her. I waited, wanting to know what had happened to her friend, but she remained silent. I knew talking would be difficult. I sighed and flopped back in my seat, staring at the coffee rings on the table.

"Terry is a twin."

I looked up at her, eyes wide. Where the hell did that come from? Freddy was amazingly still, just her mouth moving as she spoke, but I noticed her eyes growing darker. I shuffled in my seat, leaning on the table again and listening on edge.

"Terra-Rae and Caroline. They were completely inseparable. They wouldn't even go to school if the other were sick or something! Both had these big blue eyes and long blond hair, always laughing. We met in preschool. They always joked that I was the third twin."

At this, Freddy laughed a little. She tilted her head to the side, running her fingers along the rim of the mug she held. I watched her expression change from one of stone to a sad, far off one. I don't get it, where was this twin she was- Oh.

"When we were eight, Caroline was diagnosed with Leukemia…"

I didn't know what that was. I probably knew what the disease was, but we must call it something different in Amestris. I knew it was a horrible thing to have by the way Freddy had her mouth covered, one hand to sob behind while the other was fisted on the table. Tears streamed down her face and I felt my stomach sink.

I bit my lip, reaching out slowly to take her hand in mine and she didn't pull away, tightening her grip on it. After a few moments, her sobs died down enough to continue with her story. It was hard to listen to knowing it made her so upset, but I knew it must be hard to tell also.

"They tried taking some of the bone marrow from Terra-Rae and giving it to Caroline, so that she could get better. You know, bone marrow transplant? It's supposed to help with Leukemia. Caroline's body rejected it and they had to stop treatment shortly after. When we were ten, Caroline died."

Tears were streaming down her face at an alarming rate, but she wasn't sobbing. She wasn't shivering or fidgeting. She just stared at the table in front of us. It was like she was completely numb, all except for her eyes. I knew that feeling sometimes.

"Terra-Rae asked people to start calling her Terry, started acting out, fell into a bad spell. Then she became who she is now. When I was diagnosed, she said it was like losing Caroline all over again."

I didn't know what to say in this situation. I'd never heard about the death of a doppelganger's loved one before. I'd heard about death, many times. Hell, it was a constant in my life, but this completely threw me off guard. I stared at Freddy for a moment, not moving myself, and then before I knew it my mouth was moving and words were coming out.

"Winry's an orphan."

I liked the stunned look on Freddy's face much more than the numb sadness from before. Come to think of it, I could understand how she would be shocked. I mean, the fact that both of the lookalikes had experienced so much pain was kind of sick. I don't know how it would be a comfort to her, but it seemed that telling Freddy about Winry's past was the only thing that made sense for me to say.

"Her parents were doctors. They were killed in a war while they were serving the military. It happened when she was five. Winry doesn't have a twin. She has her grandmother and her dog. That's it."

Freddy stared at me a moment, then looked down at her hand in mine. When she spoke, it was barely a whisper.

"And she has you."

I'd never thought of it that way. We had grown up together, and it was sort of like we were brothers and sister. Winry, Al and I. It would be natural that we'd all have a bond. It kind of made me freaked out that she saw me as more than just a brother. I'd lost that feeling towards her when I'd kissed Freddy. I felt bad that I couldn't be something more for her.

And I felt bad that Winry lost her parents, I felt horrible that Granny Pinako had lost her son and daughter-in-law. But unlike Freddy, when they died, I didn't lose a huge part of me. Not the way it was when Mom died and I nearly lost Al.

Not the way it was when I thought Freddy was gone.

Looking at her now, I knew I had said the wrong thing by telling her about Winry's family. She was crying again and I sighed, thankful that we were alone. I made sure that Aunt Judy wasn't coming and stood, moving to the other side of the table and sitting next to Freddy. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and she turned into me, tucking her face into my chest as she let sobs shake her body, muffled into my shirt. I hugged her close, trying my best and probably failing to give her as much comfort as she needed. I was never any good with this sort of thing, so not saying anything seemed like the best way to go.

"Why does everything and everyone we love have go away?"

I glanced wide eyed and agape down at her, staring back up at me, hopeful. I could tell her that it's the laws of the world. I could tell her that everything living must eventually die. I could tell her that it was equivalent exchange and that in order to keep something we love we must give up something we love equally as much. But then I thought about Mom, and Winry's parents and Hughes and figured she didn't want to hear that. So I hugged her tightly, rested my cheek against the top of her head and gave her the best answer I could.

"That's what life is, Freddy."

* * *

It's sad and horrible, I know. But I figured it would help Freddy and Ed get to know where each other comes from a little bit. And Ed won't be as pissy to Terry anymore. As for the title of the chapter, I believe that home is a collection of your favorite places. Aunt Judy's is a real cafe that my Dad and I used to go to, and Aunt Judy was really like that. I guess I dedicate this chapter to her, as I spent many a-shitty days there to cheer up.


	12. Chapter 11: Nightmare of You

Hey guys, here's the next chapter. This one has a bit of a time lapse and some drama! Dun dun dun!

Me own nothing. Well, okay, I own a box.

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My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 11: Nightmare of You

The weeks since Freddy and I told Winry and Terry's secrets flew by in a blur. The last days of summer were spent trying to soak up the sun, sprawled out on the beach or walking the streets late into the night. Twilight marked the sky earlier and the leaves were beginning to turn in the most colourful manner I'd ever seen. Soon September had arrived, Freddy and Seth were forced to return to school and, with much debate, I was forced to join them.

Now, don't get me wrong, this didn't last. It was over before it even started.

Having never heard of anything to do with this world other than what I'd learned during the summer and what Freddy had told me, I was completely hopeless. I didn't know any of the languages offered other than English, and even in that course I struggled! Who was Edgar Allan Poe? Why would anyone want 'to kill a mockingbird?' And just what was the instructor implying by calling me an oxymoron?

History wasn't entirely bad. I noticed that there were some parallels between these things they called the World Wars and the various rebellions in Amestris. The names of places and events were different, but their causes and results were the same. I did okay in P.E., as long as I kept my arm and leg hidden. I had to take an elective, so I chose shop, thanking my lucky stars that I occasionally paid attention when Winry blathered on about gears and screws. But naturally I excelled in chemistry, math and physics.

Until I punched one of the other students for being stupid enough to try mixing ammonia and bleach. I got expelled for that.

Mrs. Radcliff was not impressed. I think she may be more terrifying than Teacher!

I explained that maybe school wasn't the best place for me and after some debate I was allowed not to attend, although I was forced to fill my time doing something productive. I chose tutoring some of the kids from the local middle school, offering my only area of expertise; chemistry. This was a lot easier than working with people my age, because a few of them reminded me of Al and that made it easier not to smack them when they got it wrong.

Freddy had taken me down to the DMV and I took my driver's test. At first I thought I wasn't going to be allowed to get my license ("Amestris?" "It's a really small country in… Africa."), but after a few lies I was approved. A quick road test and a bad photo ID later, I was behind the wheel of the Radcliff's minivan. Freddy still claims I make her nauseous every time I take a corner.

When I wasn't tutoring, or researching with Freddy, I'd drive down to Aunt Judy's to pass the time. Often I'd help out with costumers or the heavy lifting she couldn't do herself. Aunt Judy couldn't afford to pay me, but I didn't mind. It was the company I staid for, anyways.

The wall of ice, while slightly melted, still kept Freddy and I apart. We weren't snapping at each other, but we weren't cheery and laughing like we used to be either. I could occasionally take her hand for a few minutes. Every now and then I was lucky enough to get a hug! Her mother hadn't a clue what was happening. Seth could sense something was wrong and took it upon himself to glare me down every time Freddy and I were in the same room or talking. The only truly safe subjects I could approach Freddy with were Amestris, Winry and Terry, and my dreams.

The sessions of hypnosis had helped bring a few things forward, my dreams changing after each session. I found that I could fight the cretins off the closer I was to the edge of the circle. I realised that Al was staring at something lingering in the open doorway and eventually that something became a shadow. At first I couldn't pick up a feeling about the shadow, but after a few more sessions I realised it was dark and menacing, walking forward and circling my brother and I. I didn't know who it was. Yet.

I woke up from my latest hypnosis, calmly breathing in deeply and blinking at the bright light. I glanced around the room, sighing in frustration. I glanced around the room, spotting Terry sitting across from me and Freddy kneeling next to the bed. I knit my brow and clenched my jaw, Freddy giving me a small squeeze of the shoulder. She was about to say something when her phone rang and she dug it out of her pocket.

"It's Seth, be right back."

I nodded and sat up, watching as she walked out of the room, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she went. My breath caught the way it always does when she does that and I look down at the floor with a blush. Terry and I never really talked when we were alone and the familiar uncomfortable silence fell on us again. I could tell that she was staring at me, probably trying to figure out why my cheeks resembled cherries, and I tried my best to pretend that the plain white carpet was fascinating.

"What's up between you two, anyways?"

Screw the carpet. I looked up at her with wide eyes. She was fiddling with the small digital camera we had been using to record my hypnosis so that we could play it back if we thought we'd missed anything. She was fiddling with the playback button, but her eyes were set on me with a mischievous glint. That same expression Winry uses when she knows I'm hiding something. I blinked and cleared my throat.

"Nothing."

"Liar!"

I looked back up at her with a blush and she laughed. I huffed and crossed my arms, earning me another round of laughter. When she'd finished, she tilted her head to the side, preparing to say something. Here it goes, another third degree.

"Don't worry, I think it's great! Freddy could use a nice guy like you!"

I felt my jaw drop and I stared. She wanted me to be Freddy's boyfriend?! She thought I could be good for her? Someone was finally agreeing with me? I felt like I'd entered the Land of No Bloody Way and I shook my head to clear it. I blinked and finally choked out a response.

"What do you mean?"

Terry leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. Her smile faded as she thought about how to approach the subject and I bit my lip. Her response was not as excited as her initial statement.

"She's got a heart problem, as you probably know, so she's kind of limited to what she can do and where she can go. She doesn't exactly go out on a whim, party it up and meet people."

I couldn't really see Freddy going wild anyway. Terry kept talking.

"She's had a few crushes, innocent little things that never amounted to anything. She either got over them quickly or found out they were jerks who wouldn't go out with a girl who could drop dead at a moment's notice. Last May, she had a really bad episode that landed her up in hospital."

I swallowed hard. I knew where this was going. I remembered that night better than anyone here would ever know, including Freddy. I shifted uncomfortably.

"She was weird and spontaneous and outright happy before it happened. When she got out of hospital, she was quiet, didn't talk to anyone, cooped herself up in the house. She was a completely different person. It was like her heart didn't just stop, it broke."

So I wasn't the only one who noticed her changes. I clenched my jaw and looked to the side, spotting a picture on Terry's desk. It was her and Freddy, making goofy faces to the camera, covered in what looked like finger paint. I smiled at the sight of her, eyes nearly shut with a big grin across her face and blue paint on the tip of her nose. I remembered how she acted before that night in Amestris, that night here. So witty, funny, sarcastic and sweet.

"And then you arrived, Edward."

I didn't realize Terry had taken my picture until the flash nearly seared my retinas. I blinked several times, willing to the spots dancing in front of my eyes to go away, when I realized what Terry had said. What did she mean, 'then I arrived?' Did something change because of me? I was about to ask her when she sighed and flicked the camera back to record, motioning for me to lay down. I did as I was told and within a few minutes I was under again.

It was dark, there was wind all around me and I could hear the crackling of the transmutation. I took a few deep breaths, mentally preparing myself for yet another session of trying to escape my dream. After a few moments, I opened my eyes, thinking I was ready.

I wasn't.

This wasn't my dream. It was my nightmare.

I was in the middle of the restricted section of the library in Central, bathed in the red light of a rebound. There was furniture pushed against the dusty book shelves to create a clearing in the middle. In the center was a chalk outline of Al's blood seal, a transmutation circle that had been coming up a lot prior to this night. Past the darkness and the crackles of red from the rebound, there was a girl standing in the middle of the circle, wind whipping her red hair and my coat around her.

Freddy.

Oh please, don't make me relive this night! Not this night, one of the worst along with the night we failed to bring back Mom or when Nina or Hughes died or Lab 5! Not one of the worst nights of my life! Please, anything but this!

Freddy lets out a scream of pain, one that makes my hair stand on end and my toes curl. I realise I still have my hands on the circle and I pull them away, watching as the red light dies down and the wind stops. Freddy stares at me, eyes wide and still crying out in pain. I stand and rush into the circle to her as she fall to her knees. I reach out and catch her arms to keep her from falling onto her face, voice cracking as I call to her.

"Freddy? Freddy! Say something!"

She stares at me and I know she can see me, but she can't hear me. Somehow the fact doesn't fully comprehend in my mind and I still shout to her. She doesn't move, and when I slide my hands to her arms, they are like ice. I rub them, trying to coax blood into them, trying to make Freddy say something other than sobbing and my name. I see the circle written on her chest is still glowing white and I try to wipe it off.

But she collapses onto me and I quickly lay her down, watching as tears I didn't know I was crying fall onto her paling cheeks. She isn't screaming or crying or even whimpering. Her eyes stare up at me, slowly turning glassy and she is shivering now, chest no longer rising. I bend low, listening for some sign of breath. When a minute passes and I can't hear anything beyond my own sobs, I turn and press my lips to hers, pushing my breath into her. When her chest rises, I stop and wait a few seconds before doing it again, all the while trying to make her hear me.

"No Freddy! You can't die! You just promised me! You just promised you wouldn't die!"

Soon the color is leaving her again and I press my ear to her chest, my heart beating faster when I find that hers isn't beating at all. I curse, pressing my hands into her sternum, counting what I think is a reasonable rhythm for a heartbeat and pressing my lips to hers to give her breath. And I'm begging now.

"Please! Please, Freddy! Winnifred, don't die, please! You can't die, please!"

But she's getting colder under my hands as I press and her tears have stopped. I'm sobbing like a child now because I know it's no good. She had just promised she wouldn't die, yet here she was, still and frozen. I lift her up into my lap, running my flesh hand through her hair and leaning my forehead against hers as the last little bit of light in her eyes fades. I hold her tighter, shutting my eyes tight and kissing her lips gently.

"Please! Winnifred, you broke your promise!"

I press my face into her neck, still sobbing when I feel warmth spread through her. I think that maybe she is coming back to me and I look up. I don't see her eyes light up, but rather the soft glow of the circle on her chest brighten. The heat of her increases until it's burning me but I don't let her go. The light is spreading, so bright that it's almost blinding. She's becoming lighter, so light that I can barely feel her and then all at once with a last flash of light, she is gone, leaving me grasping nothing but my coat.

"Winnifred…"

I stare, eyes wide at where she was a moment ago, my arms still outstretched from holding her. I feel tears stream my face in a river, but all I can think is she left. She died. She broke her promise. Winnifred was dead. I close my eyes, chest tight and painful and I cry out one word through clenched teeth.

"Winnifred!"

When I open my eyes, I am not in the library in Central. I am laying on the bed in Terry's bedroom, gasping for breath and tears streaming down my face. I sit up, heaving for moment before sobs overtake me. My shoulders shake and my throat hurts from the force of it all, but I can't stop, even though I can't breathe.

I feel hands grasp my shoulders and I open my eyes briefly to see Terry sit next to me, holding me up to keep from falling to the floor. She doesn't say anything, but she stares at me wide eyed and horrified. I shiver and a noise makes me look up.

Freddy is standing at the door, staring at me with a mix of many things I can't make out at this point. It stuns me into silent sobs and I watch as she shakes her head, looking as if she herself is about to sob. And then, she did something I thought was as painful as the nightmare. She didn't die, she didn't fade away.

She ran.

* * *

I really wanted to do one of Ed's POV of the night Freddy died. Drama Llama!


	13. Chapter 12: Promises and Wishful Thinkin

Okay ladies and gentlemen. This chapter has a truck load of drama. And not a small little pick-up truck. I mean a semi. 18 wheeler. Big drama!

So here's a note about the writing style that you may want to keep in mind. About halfway through the story, and you'll know when, Ed's thoughts and words become disjointed and random. Have you ever been so mad that you can't think properly? That's the effect I'm going for. I'm sorry if it failed.

On with the show.

* * *

My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 12: Promises and Wishful Thinking

I had no idea it had started raining until I was forced to walk forty minutes in it to get back to the Radcliff house. Before I could even say a word, Freddy had ran, gotten in the car and driven away. Terry's car was in the shop and her parents were nowhere to be seen. Mrs. Radcliff was at work until tomorrow morning. So here I was, walking by myself in the pouring rain, soaked to the skin and horribly confused.

I didn't understand why Freddy ran. What about my reliving that night would cause her to freak out? I was the one who had relived losing her. I was the one who killed her. Or thought I had, at least. Was it because it made her remember that night and what had happened after she'd left me in the library? Did something else happen that I didn't know about? Did I hurt her that night without realizing it?

I shivered at the thought, and the water running down my neck, and I turned onto the final street. I hoped that my automail wouldn't rust up, that there would be warm coffee and that Freddy hadn't locked herself away. I wasn't about to let this slide, not this time. I'd have a conversation facing her door if I had to.

I stepped onto the front porch, shaking myself off like a dog and wringing my hair out. I looked like a drowned rat. When I was satisfied that I wouldn't drip all over the floor, I stepped inside. Warm air greeted me and I smiled in appreciation, turning to close the door. I was about to make my way into the kitchen to see about that coffee when a fist collided squarely with my jaw, making me stumble back. My wet shoes slid on the hardwood of the entrance way and I fell onto my back.

Between the sharp bite in my jaw and the throb in my backside, I opened my eyes to see Seth standing over me, his fist still clenched, eyes wide and face flushed in anger. His lips were drawn into a snarl and I could tell he was fighting very hard not to jump me right then and there. And then I realized: He just punched me!

"Seth? What the hell!?"

I barely had the time to put my hands in front of me before he leapt onto me, growling and throwing punches. I ducked most of them, finally managing to grab his wrists and holding him still as best I could. We ended up flipping over, wrestling each other. He continued to thrash and punch, surprisingly strong for a twelve year-old.

I was getting tired of his games though, and I brought my knee up, pushing it square into his side and sending him off of me and halfway across the entrance way. The part of me that regretted doing so quickly changed its mind when he tried to get up and I quickly jumped on him, pinning his wrists to the floor and his legs with mine. He bucked and kicked and I pressed my weight into him to keep from getting thrown off.

"Alright, I don't know what your problem is or why you hate me so much but you need to cool down!"

"You hurt her!"

My eyes widened and I stared dumbly at him. Come again? I hurt who? Freddy? I knew that she was upset about something; it was already on my agenda to find out what and remedy it. How could I have hurt her? What did I do? Why was it always me!? Seth didn't struggle as he snarled at my stunned expression.

"You don't even know, do you? You don't even know how you hurt her! You didn't have to listen to her cry your name every night!"

My heart sunk and my stomach did a back flip. She was crying my name? Why didn't she tell me this? I didn't have long to ponder this because Seth used my moment of distraction to shove me off of him. I landed on my butt again and I held my arms out to block anymore punches the kid decided to throw at me, but he just sat across from me, his glare burning my face.

"Every night before you arrived, when she thought we were asleep she would cry. Every night she would whisper your name between sobs! And every morning she would pretend that nothing had happened!"

I swallowed and stood, my brow knit. I could feel anger curling in my chest. I could feel my fists clench and my teeth grind. How could she not tell me? How could she pretend that everything was fine when that was happening the entire time? Seth stood as well, reaching down at picking up his backpack from beside the hall closet. He met my gaze and gave one last snarl.

"I don't know what you did, but don't ever hurt her again!"

With that, he turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him. I stared after him a moment, confused and angry. I didn't know what to say or what to do. How could I not hurt Freddy again if I didn't know what I'd done in the first place? I growled at the thought and walked up the stairs. I couldn't hear any music coming from her room, which was odd for her, but I knew that was where she was. I stood in front of her door, breathing deeply as I tried to collect my thoughts

I knew I was soaking wet and looked like I'd just walked in from a hurricane. I knew my automail would probably seize up and become one mass of rigid steel. I knew my eyes and nose were red from sobbing like a baby. I knew that I was the last person she wanted to see at the moment, but dammit I don't care anymore! I didn't bother knocking, instead opening the door, stepping inside and closing it behind me.

She was sitting on her bed, her arms clutching something close to her chest and her hair covering her face. When she looked up at me, I could tell that she had been crying. That should have been my first clue to back off, but I didn't. I was angry, confused, hurt and tired of being blamed for everything that had gone wrong between that night in Amestris and now. I drew in a deep breath and began.

"Alright Winnifred, it's time we set a few things straight. Number one: I am not going to sit idly by and smile pretending that everything is just peachy when we have to constantly walk on eggshells around each other! Game's over, I'm done."

Freddy bit her lip at that and continued to watch me from her spot on the bed. I waited a minute for her to say something, but my anger had taken the form of words striving to make it out of my mouth and I didn't bother to smother them.

"Number two: Your brother is a smug, self-righteous, annoying little snot, but at least I can get more information about this wall of ice between us in five minutes with him than four months with you! Crying at night, Winnifred? Crying my name? If everything was that bad, why didn't you just tell me?"

She huffed at the news that Seth had told me and shuffled to the edge of the bed, still clutching whatever it was to her chest, ready to give her brother hell. That could wait. I kept my eyes on her, reaching behind me and locking the door. She stared at me in stunned disbelief and stopped. I wasn't finished yet.

"Next, what went so wrong? I gotta figure that out before I leave or it'll drive me nuts! Is it what happened the night you came back here? What was it? Was it that we kissed? Was it that I wanted you to stay? Was it that I failed in getting you back here safely? Because you broke your promise too!"

She was shaking her head at this, on the verge of tears again and I could feel my eyes stinging as well. I held my hands up, shaking my own head, aggravated that she would only start to defend herself now. My anger has me shivering and I start to pace from end of the room to the other, trying to create purposeful movement. I was beyond making sense, I was so mad, but I kept going.

"Yeah, I know I messed up that night! I know I shouldn't have stopped trying to keep you alive and I know I shouldn't have made you promise not to die. I mean, it's a useless thing to promise, right? Eventually everyone dies, like what you told me that day in the hospital when you woke up."

I remember that day very well and I grin slightly at the thought of it. That's the day I found out I had feelings for her that went beyond friendship. I find it ironic that it had come when we're both angry and yelling at each other. Freddy looks slightly confused at what I'm saying and I clarify.

"Everyone dies. 'You're born, you live, you die. That's it, no second chances.' You said that to me the day you woke up after Envy took you, remember? When I told you that Al and I tried to bring Mom back? I remember that day!"

Freddy is staring at me with wide eyes and I shuffle on the spot. Where was I going with this? Was I just ranting?

"You told me that you would have tried anyways, just like us, even though you knew exactly what would have happened, and you weren't afraid to say it! Now forgive me if I'm wrong about thinking that meant something, but you were the first person to ever say that to me and that was exactly what I needed! Forgive me for wishfully thinking that we could actually be happy and that you could stay around. Forgive me for making you break your promise when you left that night…"

My throat tightens around itself and I stop talking, staring at her for some sort of reaction. She just continues to stare at me, like seeing me for the first time. I shake my head slightly and look down at the floor. I'd just told her more than I'd ever considered revealing to her and she was just standing there, staring at me. I'd never been so pulled apart by a girl. What was wrong with me?

I hear the rustling of paper and Freddy's hands reach into my line of view, holding a bundle of envelopes. I glance up at her in confusion and she bites her lip, taking my hand and pressing the envelopes into it. I look down at them. There must be at least fifty, all of varying thickness and I notice with confusion that they are all addressed to me.

"They're letters. I tried to send them to you after I got home, remember? I'd tried to tell you I was okay, but I couldn't get the circle to activate. You can read them now if you like but they pretty much all say the same thing. 'I'm sorry I pulled away when you kissed me. I'm sorry I couldn't stay. I'm sorry I broke my promise. Thank you for trying to save me. I miss you.'"

I didn't realize she had been moving closer until her lips covered mine. I contemplated pushing her away: After all, I had been so angry with her only a moment ago. But this is the exact contact I had been craving from her for four months! I press my lips further to hers and return the kiss, feeling her wrap her arms around my shoulders. I slip my own around her waist and pull her to me, making her shiver at the contact with my wet clothes.

I run my tongue softly along her lip and she lets me deepen the kiss. Our tears and the rainwater dripping down from my hair mix and I wonder briefly why we end up kissing like this when one of us is crying. She slides her fingertips into up along my neck and I possessively pull her closer. I run my fingers through her hair, the smell of honey surrounding me and I notice that she tastes like honey too.

We're kissing frantically now and I barely register that she has unzipped my hoodie and pulled it off until the air hits me and makes me shiver. I slide my flesh hand under the back of her shirt, rubbing circles into the small of her back. Her fingers make short work of my braid and the cold I feel leaves me clinging to her.

Somewhere through all of this we end up on the bed, kissing along each other's necks and pulling ourselves closer to one another. Our shirts end up on the floor and I kiss along the scar that Envy left along her neck, as if I could make it disappear with my lips. Her fingertips are tracing along the seam where my automail meets my flesh and I sigh, tucking my face into her hair and breathing in her scent.

I trace my automail hand up her hip, but when the cold steel touches her bare stomach she gives a cry of shock and I quickly pull my hand back. I push until I am kneeling over her, and it's then that I realize what we were doing. My mind is buzzing and I think that it isn't possible that she would want this after all that we'd said. Well, all that I'd ranted.

"I'm sorry- I… I don't know what I was thinking… I'll go-"

"No!"

I am about to leave when she grabs my automail hand, making me stop in my tracks. Her emerald eyes lock with mine and I stare in a trance as she guides my hand palm down to her chest, just over her heart.

"No more pulling away, okay? From either of us. Not until you leave. Promise?"

I smile slightly, tracing my hand up to cup her cheek. I lean down and kiss her, wrapping her in my arms and pulling her close to me. That was a promise I could keep.

* * *

I know this is painting a target onto my ass for flamers, but yes. It got steamy. You can decide whether or not they slept together. I meant it to appear that way, but I stopped so I wouldn't have to bump up the rating. However if you don't like the idea of Ed sleeping with OCs, you can leave it at heavy petting.

Less drama more action next chapter. I promise.


	14. Chapter 13: Confessions, Part 1

Writer's block.

A computer that doesn't work.

A complete and horrifying lack of coffee.

Bad combination.

* * *

My Misadventures in Alchemy II: Waking the Gate

Chapter 13: Confessions, Part 1

I didn't want to move. I didn't want to open my eyes or start the day. I just wanted to stay here, lying still, where it was warm and safe. I didn't want to spend hours in a library, searching for an answer I knew I wasn't going to find in bad alchemy books. I didn't want to have to face another day of hypnotism and impending doom. I didn't want to listen to my little brother scream for me when I couldn't reach him.

That last thought put a sour note to the moment and I frowned, knitting my brow as I tried to return to the good thoughts about staying here. It was warm. It was safe. I was with Freddy. She shifted in her sleep beside me and I finally give up on trying to will myself back into dreams, blinking my eyes open.

The sun has yet to peak over the horizon and the room is bathed in blue light. Shadows move across the ceiling as the breeze from the window shakes them. I groan slightly and look over at Freddy, who is facing me, one hand under the pillow and the other laying outstretched slightly like she is reaching for me.

But I wonder what will happen when she wakes up and I decide not to take her hand, not wanting to face the bad news too soon. So I take to distracting myself. I read the spines of the books that lined the wall next to the door from top to bottom. I recited the names of songs on the many CDs that cluttered her stereo stand. I counted the posters on the walls. I was following the different bands of light across the room when I frowned at what I saw on the floor.

The bundle of envelopes was half hidden under my hoodie from last night and I stare at it as if it were about to move. I really am skiddish this morning, aren't I? Shaking my head, I sit up, glancing over to make sure that Freddy is still asleep. The November air slipping into the room from the slightly open window makes me shiver and I pull on a suitable amount of clothes. Standing, I swoop to pick up the envelopes, walking over to Freddy's desk and turning on the small lamp.

I sit down in the chair there and pop the elastic holding the package together, watching as the envelopes fall onto the wooden surface of the desk. I organized them by date, lining them up to the point where it was almost obsessive compulsive, and even when they were perfectly straight, I didn't dare open them. I just stared at Freddy's cursive writing for several minutes, my hands folded in my lap. I felt like I was about to open a letter from a battle field, bad news laced into every sentence.

Winry was right: I could be such a girl sometimes!

With one last glance at the slumbering redhead, I picked up the first envelope, deciding to go in chronological order, and tore it open with my automail thumb. I pulled the paper out gingerly, surprised to see that it looked like it had been folded and refolded several times, the writing crossed out in sections, half ink and half pencil. Freddy's usually pristine cursive was somewhat muddled and I had to reread sections to make sure there wasn't confusion about what was being said. From what I could tell, it looked like she had carried the paper in her pocket for a long time, adding things and arranging the words just right. Freddy was a bit of a perfectionist when it came to getting a point across.

As time passed, the stack of opened letters began to grow, and so did my understanding of how Freddy felt about what had happened in Amestris. She wrote about how she had been frustrated with never knowing if she would get home to her family, and that if she knew that they were safe and happy, she would have stayed longer. She apologized for kissing me like she had, knowing that it had been a bit misleading. She didn't even blame me for when she nearly died, thankful that I had tried to save her and promising that it wasn't my fault. I would argue with her later about that.

The time of her letters changes to present tense, almost like journal entries, and she begins to tell of life after her return to Vancouver. These letters seem so cold and unfeeling, like her emotions were shut up inside her and refused to reach through the pen onto the paper. The first few days in which she had returned seemed like one of the dry military reports I'd hand in to Mustang, and it made my stomach clench into knots. I picked up another letter, glancing to see I had ten or less to go. Slipping open the envelope, I pulled the paper out, unfolded it and stared wide eyed at the first sentence.

'I met you today.'

My jaw dropped, blood draining from my face as I read her account of meeting my doppelganger, Jesse Edward Dawson. The next bunch of letters continued on as she described it. She wrote about how he seemed like me at first, and how they had exchanged contact information and kept in touch. She wrote about how they became good friends and I felt jealousy rise in my tight throat. She wrote how he had asked her to a coffee shop and walked her home. She wrote how he smile just like I did, sounded like I did, with my voice, hair, eyes, smell…

Then she confessed that he had kissed her, and it had been all wrong.

The anger and jealousy disappeared as I finished the last letter, the smudged areas where teardrops had marked the pages difficult to make out. She didn't want to be reminded every time she looked at him that he wasn't really me. She didn't want to hear about dirt bikes and action movies instead of alchemy. I swallowed hard at her closing statement.

'I'm waiting for the real Edward.'

I put the letter down and knit my brow, closing my eyes and sighing. Glancing at the clock, I realize an hour and a half has passed and that the sun had finally made its way over the horizon. I turn the lamp off and stand, turning to look at Freddy. She's facing away from me, her hair like fire in the early light. I move to the bed, crawling in and laying behind her. I think I'm ready to face the situation between us and I wrap my arm around her way, kissing her cheek. Immediately her eyes begin to flutter and she sighs, turning over to face me.

"Hi."

Her voice is slightly husky from sleep and I watch, shocked as she presses her cheek to my chest. It takes a few minutes before my mind catches up and I stutter.

"M-morning, Freddy. H-hi."

Damn my voice for going up three octaves. Freddy blinked her eyes open at me as I cleared my throat and gave her a nervous grin. She frowned at this and pulled away slightly, pouting her lip.

"What's wrong, Edward?"

Where had all that bravery from a few minutes ago gone? I swear, it just decided to take a trip and flew out the window! I take a few moments to sort out how to handle what I read, and Freddy leans on her elbows as she watches me with confused eyes.

"I read the letters."

"Oh… Oh, I see."

Freddy stares at me for a few minutes, lips pursed as she thinks this little piece of information over. Finally she shrugs and lies back down next to me, closing her eyes. That's it? No rough statements about last night? No burning questions about what I thought about what she had written. I had questions! Damn, women were so confusing! Well, if she wasn't going to ask me anything…

"Why didn't you tell me about Jesse?"

Freddy opened her eyes and glanced back up at me, her eyes flashing with the slightest hint of pain. I wait for her to answer and very slowly she shrugs again, blushing as she speaks in a soft voice.

"What's the point? The real Edward's here now."

She was right, there really wasn't much of a point. Still, the thought of her wishing I was here while my doppelganger kissed her didn't sit right with me. I think back on some of the look-a-likes I'd encountered, and wondered if she had met more than she was letting on. I bit my lip as I asked.

"Who else have you met here?"

Freddy sighed and gave me a grin as she replied.

"I haven't seen your brother, if that's what you mean! Not that I'd recognize him from the old photo in your suitcase."

I blush at this. Did she honestly know me that well? I tuck my mouth and nose into the pillow and take a deep calming breath. Freddy's scent tickles my nose and I turn to look at her. She's twisting some of my hair around her finger, her brow knit in thought.

"What does your mother look like?"

That question hurt a bit, but I don't know why. My throat tightened up and I tried to say the words, but my mouth wouldn't make a sound. So I did the next best thing. I pulled my wallet out from the pocket of my jeans and opened it, flipping to a small hidden compartment and pulling out the only picture I had left of her. She had her arms around Al and I, we were about three and four at the time, and she was smiling at the camera. I stared at the picture a moment before handing it over to Freddy.

"Her name was Trisha."

Freddy took the picture very carefully with her fingertips, tilting her head and smiling as she looked down at my mother. Glancing up at me, she spoke softly.

"She's very pretty."

I gave her a weak smile as she said this, taking back the picture and looking at it a moment before tucking it back into my wallet. I sighed and returned the gesture when Freddy nudges my cheek with her nose. We kiss softly, cautiously at first, then deeper. She has her arms around my neck and my hand is trailing down her hip when the slam of a car door in the driveway makes us both jump. Freddy curses as she glances at the window.

"Mom's home!"

I cuss and quickly jump up. I'd forgotten Mrs Radcliff was working the late shift at the hospital and would be home in the early morning. I grab my hoodie, jeans and shoes from the floor, glancing over as Freddy pulls one of her old sweatshirts on. I can hear the jingle of keys and the click of the tumbler in the lock downstairs and I lean in to give Freddy a quick kiss.

"See you in a bit."

With that, I pull the bedroom door open and slipped across the hall to my room, moving as quietly as can be allowed considering my automail. I had shut the door and was halfway across my room when I heard Mrs Radcliff down the hall. I heaved a breath and dumped my clothes on the bed, leaning against the post as I thought about what had happened last night and this morning. I shook my head, grabbing a fresh set of clothes to change into and I made to walk towards the bathroom.

I was on the floor before I realized the room was spinning and I winced at the pain at the back of my head from where it had connected with the hardwood. I willed the pain to go away, but it spread with a fervor to my temples, like pressure threatening to make my skull explode from the inside out. I squeezed my eyes shut and grit my teeth as the I clenched my fists, arching my back as waves of heat and pain began to roll down my body.

My stomach began to churn and I had the urge to vomit, but my throat was tight and I could hardly breathe, let alone be sick. I could only grunt in pain, clutching at my head. I couldn't feel it, but the sound of wind battered my ears and made the pain increase tenfold. Gods, I wanted it to stop! Whatever this was, it had to stop!

'_Brother.'_

Al's voice rang through the chaos of the noise, but I think for a moment that it is just a result of the pain and fire across my body. I cry out as another wave rolls over me and I dig my heels into the floor, curling my toes and slamming my fists onto the wood.

'_Brother, answer me! Answer me, dammit!'_

That is Al's voice! I notice that it is not inside my head, but echoing around me, slightly battered from the wind that I heard but couldn't feel. I could only feel the pain. I try to focus on the sound of Al's voice, willing my concentration to break past the noise and discomfort.

"Al! Al, where are you?"

'_I'm here, Brother. You need to come back now!'_

Not that I hadn't been trying for the past four months, but I was kind of writhing in agony at the moment. Bile burned in my throat and I snarled. I was more than willing to get back to him, but where was he!? As if reading my every thought, Al's voice calmly reassured me.

'_Just open your eyes, Brother.'_

Taking an agonizing breath, I did as he told. I cracked open my eyes, expecting to see the bright morning light glowing off the yellow walls of my room. But all I saw was darkness and I opened my eyes wider.

I'm standing in front of the transmutation circle, in the dorm room back at Central, with the rebound's red light flickering across the walls. The edges of my vision are cloudy and distant, as if I am looking through another person's eyes. I can tell that I am still in Vancouver, and I wonder if this is just a bad dream. But when I realize that the weird echo of Al's voice is because he's not next to me, or behind me. It's as though I'm inside the armor with him. I'm looking through his eyes, listening through his ears. My stomach does a flip and I feel the pain again, biting down to keep from passing out when Al speaks again.

'_Envy is coming soon. I'll activate the circle on this side, Brother. Do the same on your side. Try to hurry.'_

Al's voice begins to fade and I struggle to hold onto it, my own voice gurgling as I try to stay conscious, the dorms disappearing in flash of bright light.

"No, Al! Wait! Al, Alphonse!"

My vision clears and I am staring up at the yellow walls of my room again. The sound of wind is gone and I am shaking. I realize that somebody has my shoulders and I blink, looking over to see Freddy kneeling beside me. I want to speak to her, but I gag and sit up, dry heaving. My eyes water and I finally catch my breath, Freddy holding me up and rubbing my back.

"What, Edward? What did you see?"

I gulp my breaths and look up at her, wincing as the pain recedes to a dull ache. My time with her has been cut shorter than expected. I shiver and focus on Al's message.

"It's Al. He's figured out how to connect with me. He's going to get me home!"

* * *

Like I said, writer's block. There was a lot of mushiness at the beginning of the chapter, but I didn't really want Freddy and Edward on a bad note anymore. And I figured it was about time Trisha got worked into the story. Wow, Ed is really... feminine in the chapter. All well. Any guesses as to how Al and Ed can communicate?

PS: I got a few requests for a love-making scene between Edward and Freddy after the last chapter. It's on my profile. "Closer Than Ever."


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